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THE  BACKWARD  TRAIL 


^loPiB?  of  the  Indian^  and  Tennessee  pioneePg 


BY 


WILL  T.  HALK 

Author  i,f  "In    an  Aiilinnn    Lmir,  and   O/lar  I><,r,ns 
ami   l>iali  rt   Pirns  " 


NASHVILLi:.  TKXN. 

T  H  K     C  r  M  B  !■:  K  L  A  X  I)     P  R  E  S  S 

18' >9 


COPYHIGHTKI),    1899,    BY   WiLI.  T.   HALE. 


INTRODUCTION. 


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In.  seeking'  to  present  the  strang-e  and  romantic,  the 
thrillingf  and  marvelous,  we  need  not  indulge  the  imagina- 
tion.  The  history  of  Tennessee  abounds  in  facts  stranger 
than  fiction. 

Speaking  of  the  various  deeds  of  the  Savior  wiiile  on 
earth,  Saint  John  avers:  "  If  the}'  should  be  written  every 
one,  1  suppose  that  even  the  world  could  not  contain  the 
books  that  .should  be  written."  Many  volumes  could  be 
profitably  and  interestingly  filled  with  heroic  acts  of  our 
ancestors.  In  presenting  the  following,  the  object  has 
been  to  give  precedence  to  only  a  few  of  the  salient  occur- 
rences, and  to  try  to  treat  them  in  such  a  manner  as  will 
stimulate  the  study  of  our  annals  by  the  3'oung.  The  truth 
has  been  adhered  to  throughout  so  far  as  the  author  was 
able  to  discern  it. 

The  author  acknowledges  his  obligations  for  valuable 
assistance  rendered  hitn  by  Dr.  R.  L.  C.  White,  the  eminent 
specialist  in  Tennessee  history, 
(iii) 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

A  Glance  at  Tennessee's  Progress,  and  Reviewing-  Some 

of  Its  Landmarks 2 

CHAPTER  II. 

The    Earliest    Discovery    of    Tennessee   Soil,    and    the 

Destruction  of  Old  Fort  Loudoun 13 

CHAPTER  HI. 

The    Wataug-a    Association,    with    an    Account    of    an 

Attempt  to  Destroy'  the  First  Settlements 23 

CHAPTER  IV. 

John  Sevier,  Soldier  and  Statesman,  as  well  as  a  Notice 

of  the  State  of  Franklin 32 

CHAPTER  V. 

The  Settling  of   Middle  Tennessee,   noting-  the  Begin- 
ning of  Indian  Atrocities 44 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Further  Mention  of  Events  in  the  Cumberland  Settle- 
ments, and  James  Robertson's  Achievements 50 

CHAPTER  VII. 

An   Interesting-  Record,  Together  with   a   Trag-edy  on 

Stone's  River 67 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

Territorial  Matters,  Including-  Some  of  the  Public  Acts 

of  William  Blount 82 

(V) 


vi  Contents. 

CHAPTER  IX. 

The  Nickojack  Expedition,  Which  Resulted   in  Break- 
ing the  Spirit  of  the  Indians 94 

CHAPTER  X. 

Mere  Glimpses  of  Certain  Other  Characters  Figuring 

in  the  Earlier  Settlements 102 

CHAPTER  XL 

Endurance  and  Heroism  of  Frontier  Women,  and  Some 

Instances  Particularized 120 

CHAPTER  XII. 

The  Pastimes  of  the  Settlers,  and  Their  Whole-souled 

Hospitality 130 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

Early  Religious  Sentiment,  and  the   Faithful  Work  of 

the  Ministers 136 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

The  Tribes  Claiming   a  Right  to  Lands    at   the  First 

Settlement,  and  Their  Present  Status 144 

CHAPTER  XV. 

The  Mound  Builders  or   Stone  Grave  Race,  and  Some 

Archajolog-ical  Researches 154 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

The  Battle  of   King's  Mountain,  and  Tennessee's  Con- 
nection -with   the  Revolution 164 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

The  Storj-  of  Constitution  Making,  from  the  Watauga 

Association  to  1800 171 


CIIAPTEK  I. 

A   GLANCE   AT   TEXXKS.SKE's   I'lUKiRK^S,    AND    KEVIEWING 
SOME    or    ITS    LAX  D-MARKS. 

TcnncPt^ee  was  admitted  into  the  I'uioii  on  ^lay  31, 
or  June  1,  ITiUi,  the  third  State  eoniing  in  under 
the  Federal  constitution,  alihough  in  KlU  ii  li.id  be- 
come a  distinct  territorial  government.  The  seat  of 
government  was  at  Knoxville  from  K94  to  1811.  ex- 
celling for  a  short  ])eriod  (jnly  in  18()T.  when  it  was 
at  Kingston;  from  181':^  to  1815  it  was  at  Xashville: 
iji  181 T  it  was  again  removed  to  Knoxville.  and  from 
there  in  181'J  to  Murfrecshoi-o.  where  it  remained  until 
18"i();  then  Nashville  Ijeeame  the  capital.  The  State  is 
])ounded  north  liv  Kentucky  and  \'iruinia.  s.iwlheast 
l)y  North  Cai'olina.  soutli  hy  (lein-gia.  Alal)ania,  .Mis.-is- 
sij)]ii.  aiul  we.-t  hy  .\rkan>as  and  Mi^s'Uiri.  It.-  impida- 
tion  was  ;).-),()I)l  in  K!»0,  and  1.1(;^.518  ahout  a  century 
later.  The  largest  cities  ;•  •  >  Xashville.  Knoxville. 
]\Icm|ihis  and  Chattanooga;  and  the  gitveriiors  (if  the 
State,  not  including  the  territorial  guviTuor.  William 
IMount.  have  heen:  Joh,i  Sevier.  ITIH!:  Archihald 
lioane,  1801;  John  Sevier.  1803;  Willie  I)lount.  18()!); 
Joseph  McMinn.  1815;  V/illiam  I'arroll,  Ibv'l;  Samuel 
(0 


2  The  Backward  Trail. 

Houston,  1827 — resigned  April  IG,  1829,  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  William  Hall,  Speaker  of  the  Senate;  Wil- 
liam Carrull,  1829;\Xe\vtun  Cannon,  1835;  James  K. 
Polk,  IboU;  Janifs  C  Junes,  1811;  Aarun  Y.  Brown, 
1815;  ^'eill  S.  Brown,  181*;  \Yilliam  Trousdale,  1849; 
William  B.  Campbell.  1851;  Andrew  Johnson,  1853; 
Isham  Cr.  JIarris,  185T;  Andrew  Jobnson,  military  gov- 
ernor by  appointment  from  18G2  to  18G5;  William  G. 
Brownlow,  18G5 — resigned  l\ljruary  25,  18G9,  and  was 
succeeded  l)y  D.AV.  C.  Scnter,  Speaker  of  tlie  Senate;  D. 
W.  C.  Scnter,  18G9:  Jolm  C.  Brown,  1811;  Jajnes  1). 
rorier,  18;5:  Albert  S.  Marks,  18-;9:  Alvin  Jlawkins, 
1881;  AVilbam  15.  l)ale,  1883;  Kol)ert  L.  Taylor,  188";; 
Jobn  B.  Buclianan.  1891;  Beter  Turney.  1893;  Robert 
L.  Taylor.  189:;  Benton  :\lcAlillin,  1899. 

Tlio  climate  is  generally  mild  and  salubrious,  ex- 
ce})ting  in  tlie  more  swampy  districts  of  tlie  western 
portion  of  the  State,  and  assures  a  great  variety  of 
vegetable  productions.  Several  indigenous  grasses 
spring  spontaneously;  l)l;ick  and  red  haws,  woodgrapes, 
wild  ])Uiins.  lilack,  whortle  and  goose  berries,  Inckory- 
nuts.  chestnuts,  walnuts,  jiecans  and  chin([uapins,  all 
grow  in  abundance;  so  that  it  can  be  readily  <L'Qn  that 
it  must  have  seemed  a  delight  fid  land  for  a  home  liy 
those  hunters  and  exolorers  who  occasionally  passed 
through  souuj  poi'tioiis  before  eiuigration  was  actually 
turned   to  tlu'  western   country. 

Teuues-ee  lias  made  ra])id  strides  within  a  century, 
and  is  now  (ute  of  the  most  progressive  of  the  S(nuhern 


A  Vast  Wildkknkss. 


States.  Wlieii  we  consider  its  ])ifsi'nt  (levelopinent, 
it  is  alinust  iiiipussihlL'  to  hulii've  that  heiore  the  year 
I'toO  il  was  a  vast  uihlcnu'ss,  iininhahited  hy  aJiy 
while  ])erst)ii.  Where  licaiiiil'iil  towns  and  cities  now 
lloiiiish  and  ch'yant  rural  h.oincs  arc  situated,  then 
bull'alos  Ijcllowcd  and  t'ouglit  around  the  salt  licks, 
bears  jtasscd  thi'ough  the  cane  and  underlirnsh,  deer 
stalked  down  to  the  streams  to  shd<e  their  thirst,  pan- 
thers sereanied  from  their  co\frts.  and  the  wild  tur- 
keys called   to  i-ach   other   in   the  solitude. 

Xow  and  then  adventurous  explorers  passed  down 
the  lar<^-er  streams,  returning-  to  the  colonies  witli  won- 
derful tales  of  the  wilderness,  and  (jccasionally  hands 
of  Indians  vcntui'ed  into  the  fastnesses,  to  go  hack  to 
their  Ailla;ies  after  a  few  weeks  laden  with  ,irame:  hut 
no  white  man  dared  to  make  the  'I'ennesst'c  i-ei:ion  his 
home  before  the  mi(hlle  of  tlu  eightei'Ut li  century,  and 
even  the  savages  laid  no  serious  claim  to  much  of  it 
as  a  jiai't  of  their  domains. 

Taming  the  wihh^'i'ness  now  is  an  easy  and  plea--ant 
task,  with  railroa(ks  and  other  facilities  for  traveling, 
not  to  n.iention  the  ea-e  with  which  the  settler  can  get 
the  olhei"  re(juirements  for  his  woi'k  of  Jiome-making. 
Hut  wlieii  ih.e  lirsl  settlers  came  to  Tennessee,  the  jour- 
ney was  a  long  and  }ierilous  undertaking,  aiul  the  first 
years"  struggles  were  often  sulTicient  to  deprt'ss  strong 
liearts.  A  historian  has  recently  descrihed  the  found- 
ing of  new  settlements  in  graphic  language.  As  a  rule, 
he  ^ays.  the  settlers  came  in  grou])s  for  mutual  jirotec- 


4  The  Backward  Trail. 

tion,  and  perhaps  for  mutual  encouragement.  The 
household  goods  were  borne  on  the  backs  of  horses, 
called  pack-horses,  and  consisted  generally  of  a  few- 
cooking  utensils,  a  wooden  trencher  for  kneading 
dough,  several  small  packages  containing  salt  and  some 
seed  corn,  a  flask  or  two  of  Jiiedicine,  wearing  apparel, 
a  wife,  and  sometimes  a  baby  at  the  breast.  Their 
daughters  walked  beside  the  mother  on  the  horse  and 
the  sons  were  with  the  fathers  a  few  j)aces  in  front.  If 
a  cow  and  a  few  pigs  were  added  to  their  outfit  the 
future  founders  of  the  connnonwealth  regarded  their 
lot  as  |)eculiarly  fortunate. 

Having  arrived  at  the  place  of  destination,  they  set 
to  work  to  erect  a  cabin,  a  [)rimitive  affair  of  logs,  with 
a  top  of  claplioards  held  in  place  by  weights.  The  fur- 
niture consisted  of  a  bedstead,  a  washstand,  a  few- 
three-legged  stools,  a  taljle.  a  w-ater  bucket,  a  gourd 
dipper,  and  pegs  al)out  the  walls  for  banging  clothes, 
rifios,  game  and  the  like.  Tlie  chief  covering  for  the 
family  in  cold  w-eather  w-as  rarely  a  blanket,  often  the 
skins  of  deer  and  bear,  and  occasionally  l)uffalo.  tanned 
so  as  to  be  soft  and  su])})le.  The  fare  consisted  of 
game,  which  was  abundant  and  delicate.  Bread  was 
nuide  of  corn,  Ijcaten  as  fine  as  p()ssi])le  in  an  inijiro- 
vised  mortar.  It  was  made  into  dough  on  a  trencher 
and  baked  in  the  ashes  and  called  ash-cake,  or  baked 
Ix'fore  the  fire  and  called  ,Tohnny-cako.  a  corruption 
from  .Tourney-cake,  from  tlio  ease  with  which  it  could 
be  made.      The  corn   itself    could  also  be  made    into 


Inti;ki;.sting  Landmarks.  5 

luu.sli,  aiul  uiiLTc  ihc  cow  had  prospLTcd,  mush  and 
milk  made  the  Tavurite  diet,  for  supper  especially.  A 
delicious  syruj)  \va.s  golieii  I'roui  ihe  maple.  Butler 
\va.s  su])[)lied  I'rom  the  fat  of  liear's  meat,  or  the  gravy 
of  the  goose.  C'oifee  was  made  from  parched  r\e  and 
dried  Iteaiis.  Tea  was  su])p!ied  hy  the  sassafras  tree. 
The  location  of  the  cahin  was  as  neai'  to  a  sj)iing  as 
possii)le.  'I'he  garden  was  laid  olf  not  far  from  the 
cabin.  All  trees  within  gunshot  of  the  house,  large 
enough  to  conceal  the  hody  of  an  Indian,  were  care- 
fidly  cut  down.  A  shed  was  huilt  in  the  yard  for  the 
horses  and  pigs,  which  were  allowed  to  run  at  lai-go 
during  times  of  ])eace,  to  grow  fat  u])()n  the  mast,  and 
trained  to  return  at  eventide  and  seek  shelter  from 
wolves  and  the  de]H-edations  of  hears. 

A  few  of  the  cabins  and  better  class  of  habitations 
of  the  earlier  days  are  standing  yet — battered  urns 
whose  dust  was  scattered  long  ago.  Xear  the  main 
road  leading  to  Sevierville.  and  about  five  miles  from 
Knoxville,  in  a  deserted  and  worn-out  field,  are  tlu> 
ruins  of  an  old  log  station.  During  the  war  between 
John  Revier  and  his  comrades  against  the  Clierokecs 
for  tlic  protection  of  the  ]-'rench  i>i'oa(l  settlei's.  IIk^ 
])laoG  became  the  refuge  of  a  numb(>r  of  families,  and 
it  had  been  a  frontier  post  before  T\noxville  wa.-^  set- 
tled. The  land  around  it  was  bought  by  Cen.  Seviei", 
the  great  Indian  fighter,  about  ITOO.  Tie  added  to  the 
buildings,  and  even  after  he  was  riovernor  of  Tennes- 
see   lived  there    in   rustic  simplicity.       TFe  ke])t   ojien 


6  The  Backward  Trail. 

house  and  entertained  his  friends  and  guests,  who  were 
numerous.  Among  liis  visitors  often  were  tlie  Indian 
cliiefs,  John  Watts,  Double  Head  and  Bloody  Fellow, 
who,  as  the  liistorian  observes,  came  to  stretch  their 
moccasins  before  tlie  great  wood  lire,  or  eat  of  Sevier"s 
venison,  or  ask  his  advice  on  the  important  alfairs  of 
their  nation. 

A  few  miles  east  of  Xashville,  not  far  from  the  Her- 
mitage, the  hrst  dwelHng  of  Andrew  Jackson  may  be 
seen,  gray  and  dilapidated.  It  is  also  a  log  structure, 
of  three  rooms  and  a  capacious  fire-])lace  that  looks  as 
if  it  might  chamber  a  quarter  of  a  coi'd  of  wood,  liudc 
as  this  building  is,  it  once  sheltered  many  a  distin- 
guished person,  among  them  Aaron  Burr,  the  fastid- 
ious Xew  York  statesman.  The  visitor  to  the  land- 
mark, l)y  a  very  slight,  effort  of  the  imagination,  can 
iiear  old  voices  in  the  gloom,  recall  evenings  when 
Jackson  and  Ids  wife — lovers  from  marriage  until  sep- 
aration by  death — sat  by  the  door  and  talked  of  their 
future  ])lans.  the  whi])poorwill  in  the  woods 

"Threshing    the    summer    du.sk 
With  his  gold  flail  of  song," 

and  the  insects  in  the  undci'growth  luakiug  the  even- 
ing sweet  with  a  thousand  toned  delights. 

Another  building  having  an  iiuei'cst  because  of  its 
age  if  for  nothing  else  mav  be  seen  sonu'  sixty  iruk'S 
cast  (if  Xashville — tlie  ()\('i'all  homestead,  in  DeKalb 
County.      It   is   situated    upon    the    wrstern    bank   of   a 


IvAKLv  Rkcollkctions.  7 

beauliful  stream,  not  more  than  two  miles  fruiu  ihe 
crussiiig  at  the  liullalo  l'"urd  on  ihe  Indian  iraii  wliicii 
led  from  the  I'limberhuid  .Mc-untains  to  the  early  .set- 
tlements on  the  Cumberland  liver,  and  near  the  Nash- 
ville and  Knowille  turnpike.  Its  jiresent  owner  was 
born  tiiere  about  1830.  was  a.  number  oi'  limes  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Legislature,  and  has  many  interesting  ihings 
to  tell  of  the  homestead  and  its  lirst  possessor.  ".My 
father  purchased  the  jtlaee  about  the  year  IbOO,""  he 
\vill  tell  you.  "Of  course  you  see  I  have  remodeled  the 
building  somewhat,  but  the  jiortion  that  was  standing 
when  he  became  owner  is  still  intact.  The  lirst  settler 
liere  was  a  man  named  JA)oney.  who  was  not  held  in 
high  esteem  by  the  few  settlers  herealjouts.  for  he  was 
thought  to  have  made  his  property  by  unfair  means, 
and  wiLs  in  addition  supi)osed  to  be  too  much  in  sym- 
pathy with  Indians.  ^ly  father  came  from  Virginia, 
bringing  his  stock  and  negroes  with  him;  and  you  may 
wonder  at  it.  l)ut  I  have  now  the  same  l)reed  of  dun 
cattle  that  were  l)rought  liere  soon  after  the  territoiy 
l)ecame  the  State  of  Tennessee.  And."  he  will  con- 
tinue, with  a  twinkle  of  luimor  in  his  l)lue  eyes.  ''T 
have  lived  in  three  couniics.  thougli  T  was  Imrn  in  tliis 
house  and  never  moved  in  my  life.  The  farm  was 
first  in  Smith  County;  wlien  Cannon  was  made  from  a 
])ortion  of  Smitli.  T  found  myself  in  Cannon.  The 
jtlantation  is  now  in  iho  county  of  DeKalh.  Oti  Smith 
Fork  creek,  at  the  BtifTalo  Ford,  there  occurred  tlie 
fight  with  the  Indians  which  is  recorded  in  Carrs  Ten- 


8  Thk  Backward  Trail. 

iiessee  history.  Tlie  spot  is  just  above  the  present 
ford,  a  luiie  north  of  my  farm,  and  by  Jooking  at  the 
place  and  rellecting  that  it  was  then  covered  with  cane 
and  heavy  undergrowth,  a  person  need  not  wonder  that 
the  Indians  inade  a  good  stand.  Gen.  Winchester,  of 
tlie  Sumner  County  settlements,  while  out  upon  a 
scouting  expedition,  came  upon  fresh  traces  of  Indians. 
He  and  his  party  pursued  them  down  what  is  now 
known  as  Smith  Fork  creek  until  reaching  the  ford. 
He  saw  there  that  the  Indians  had  decided  to  stop  and 
give  battle.  His  spies— two  of  them — were  in  front. 
AVhen  they  entered  the  canebrake  a  short  distance,  the 
savages,  lying  in  ambush,  fired  upon  them.  The  s])y 
nauied  Ilickerson  was  killed.  Gen.  Winchester  and  his 
force  hurried  up,  and  the  battle  lasted  some  time.  But 
the  Indians  had.  the  advantage  in  numbers  and  posi- 
tion, and  the  former  were  forced  to  withdraw.  Capt. 
James  McCann  killed  an  Indian  on  this  occasion  who 
was  su])posed  to  he  a  celeljraled  chief  and  warrior 
known  as  the  Moon,  as  he  was  hare-lipped,  and  it  was 
claimed  that  ihere  was  but  one  hare-lipped  man  in  the 
tribe  to  which  the  body  of  Indians  belonged. 

''Speaking  further  of  the  Indians,  many  of  them 
caine  through  Cannon  County  when  migrating  beyond 
the  ^lississippi  river.  ^\y  father  visited  their  camps,  as 
did  many  of  1he  farmers.  He  said  that  he  was  able, 
after  seeing  them  on  the  way  from  their  old  hunting 
grounds  and  Ihe  graves  of  their  fathers,  to  form  a  bet- 
ter idea  of  the  appearance  of  the  ITel)rews  when  leav- 


The  "Mountain  District."  9 

ing  Kgyi't.  Mail}'  (A  iheiii  wore  wealthy,  liaving  tlieir 
slaves  and  line  liuises. 

"1  have  heard  my  parents  speak  oi"  their  early  days 
liere.  They  were  ol'ten  uneasy  over  thoughts  ui'  Indian 
violence,  though  no  massacre  took  place.  There  were 
alarms  now  and  then,  when  the  neighhors  would  all 
go  to  one  house  and  remain  until  the  scare  was  over. 
As  late  as  18G5-GG  it  was  not  an  uncommon  occurrence 
for  a  few  Indians  to  leave  the  fastnesses  of  North  Car- 
olina or  Ka^t  Tennessee  and  pass  through  this  section 
on  a  wearisome  journey  to  the  far  West." 

Finally:  The  Goodpasture  house  still  stands  on 
BulTalo  creek,  near  Ilillham,  in  Overton  County.  It  is 
a  large  two-story  log  structure,  with  only  one  door  in 
the  front  and  one  window  in  the  upper  story.  It  was 
erected  in  1800,  while  the  country  between  Livingston 
(now  the  county  seat  of  Overton  County),  and  King- 
ston, then  a  federal  fort  at  the  junction  of  Ilolston  and 
Clinch  rivers,  was  occupied  by  the  Cherokee  Indians. 
This  section  is  now  known  as  the  "mountain  district"' 
of  the  State.  It  is  a  romantic  country,  and  the  facts 
concerning  its  early  settlement  are  full  of  interest.  It 
extends  northwestwardly,  between  the  Cumberland 
Mountains  and  the  Cumberland  and  Cancy  Fork 
rivers,  from  a  line  drawn  lengthwise  through  the  cen- 
tre of  the  State  to  the  Kentucky  line,  embracing  the 
present  counties  of  Overton,  White.  Jackson.  Putnam, 
Fentress.  Clay  and  Pickett.  All  of  it  was  not  opened 
for  settlement  at  the  same  time.     P>v  the  treatv  of  IIol- 


lo  The  Backward  Trail. 

ston,  in  1791,  the  Indian  line  began  at  a  point  on  Cum- 
berland rivei'^  from  wliicli  a  soulliwcst  line  would 
strilve  the  ridge  that  divides  the  waters  of  Cumberland 
from  those  of  Duek  river,  forty  miles  above  Nashville. 
The  line  ran  two  and  a  half  miles  uasi  of  Livingston, 
dividing  the  district  into  two  almost  equal  parts.  The 
"West  was  open  to  settlement,  and  the  Juist  (known  as 
the  Wilderness)  resei'ved  to  the  Cherokees.  liy  an  act 
of  the  General  Assemljly  in  1198,  the  line  of  the  In- 
dian reservation  was  made  the  eastern  boundary  of 
Sumner  County,  which,  in  1199,  was  reduced  to  its 
constitutional  limits,  and  the  new  counties  of  Smith 
and  Wilson  established  out  of  its  former  territory. 
Two  years  later  Smith  County  was  reduced,  and  .lack- 
son  County  established,  extending  to  the  M'ilderness. 
By  the  treaty  of  Tellico.  in  180.").  the  Indian  title  to 
the  Wilderness  was  extinguished,  and  the  entire  moun- 
tain district  opened.  In  this  ])art  of  the  State  are 
Obeds  and  Koaring  rivers,  and  on  the  banks  of  the  lat- 
ter the  Long  Hunters  spent  eight  or  nine  months  of 
the  years  KG9-7<i  while  exploring  the  ^\'est.  The 
Goodi)asture  family  came  from  Kingston  bv  the  Wal- 
ton road — winch  was  then  mark'cd  out  between  tliat 
place  to  the  present  village  of  Carthage,  and  completed 
in  1801.  'q'he  road."  say  A.  A\  and  W.  II.  Goodpast- 
ure in  a  biogra])hical  and  liistorical  work,  "was  about 
a  hundred  miles  in  length,  and  c-ontained  four  stands 
for  the  accommodation  of  travelers.  Coming  West, 
the  first  of  these  was  at  Kimbrou<rh's,  on  the  eastern 


Thk  First  Sktti.kks.  ii 

loot  of  I  lie  iiioiiiiiiiiii;  lilt'  sic-oiid  al  Crab  Orchard,  a 
once  I'aiiioiis  place  on  llie  nu.iiiitain  iilalcau,  in  ('iiiii- 
bci-laiul  Count}-;  the  third  at  While's  I'lain.  in  I'ut- 
liani  County,  tm  the  wrstern  loot  of  the  mountain;  and 
the  fourth  near  i'ekin.  also  in  i'litnani  County."' 
There  were  feu  settlers  then'  at  the  tinie;  Indians  were 
now  and  then  seen,  and  liull'alo  weii'  still  to  he  found; 
but  a  few  yeais  lalei'  setthrs  eanie  from  \'ir^nnia, 
I'ennsylvania  and  l'".ast  'i'eiinessee.  among  them  the 
wi(h)W  and  some  of  the  children  of  the  gi'eat  Indian 
lighter  and  liisi  govei'iior  of  'retiiiessee,  (ieii.  John  Se- 
vier. In  lime  tlu'i'e  also  eame  the  aneistiu's  of  Samuel 
L.  Clemens  ("Mark  'ruain"),  ilie  most  |)o|)ular  liunior- 
isl  in  the  world,  loeating  al  Janieslown,  Fentress 
County. 

The  landmarks  mentioned  aj'c  rife  with  memories. 
Thei'e  were  tears  and  laugluer,  hjve  and  liate.  lujjie  and 
despair,  and  all  the  vieissinuies  and  changes  thai  are 
ihe  herilage  of  mankind.  We  can  >ee  the  slui'dy  hus- 
])andman  as  he  goes  about  his  laboi's  to  tame  the  wild 
country,  and  the  housewife  blithely  doing  ihe  duties 
allollcd  to  hei';  neighl)oi-s  enjoying  each  other's  coni- 
)ianionslii]>  with  greatrr  ]ileasure  l)et-ause  so  rare,  and 
the  young  people,  as  the  Indian  y(mths  and  niaidt'iis 
before  them,  experiencing  love's  young  di'eam.  their 
soul.~  racbant  in  the  light  ihai  nevei'  w;is  on  land  or  sea; 
revolutionary  veterans  who  br.d  seen  sei'vice  al  Valley 
Forge  01'  the  Cowpeiis  or  ahuig  the  Ib'andywine.  now 
entitled  to  somewhat   of  rest,  tisliinii  in   the  beautiful 


12  The  Backward  Trail. 

streamS;,  malting  wolf  traps,  or  hunting  the  turkey  for 
pastime.  And  those  log  walls,  still  intact  after  the 
forms  that  held  immortal  souls  have  fallen  to  dust, 
serve  to  recall  Dobson's  lines  on  the  Pompadour's  fan: 

"Where    are    the    secrets    it    knew? 
Weavings   of  plot   and   of   plan? 
But  where  is  the  Pompadour,  too? 
This   was  the   Pompadour's   fun!" 


CHArTEK  II. 

THE     EARLIEST     DiSCUVEUY     OF     TENNESSEE     SOIL,     AND 
TUE  DESTHLCTION   OF  OLD  FOKT   LOUDOUN. 

It  is  an  interesling  tradition  that  Ferdinand  De 
Soto,  a  8])ani.<h  explorer,  lirst  discovered  the  magnifi- 
cent country  now  known  as  Tennessee  more  than  two 
centuries  before  its  first  settlement.  Fired  by  the  idea 
of  conquest  and  urged  by  the  hope  of  finding  gold  in 
the  New  World,  he  sailed  from  Havana  May  12,  1539, 
with  an  army  of  about  one  thousand  men,  besides  the 
marines.  There  were  also  three  hundred  and  fifty 
horses.  He  passed  through  the  domains  of  a  number 
of  Indian  rulers,  meeting  with  considerable  opposition, 
and  finally  reached  the  eastern  border  of  Tennessee. 
Keej)ing  a  western  course,  he  arrived,  in  April,  1.541,  in 
sight  of  tlie  Indian  village,  Chisca,  supposed  to  be  the 
present  site  of  Memphis.  According  to  Irving,  the 
Indians  of  this  province  knew  nothing  of  the  apjiroach 
of  the  strangers  until  the  latter  rushed  in  upon  them, 
taking  many  ])risoners  and  pillaging  the  houses.  De 
Soto  remained  in  the  town  some  twenty  days,  and  hav- 
ing had  four  floats  constructed,  crossed  the  Missis- 
sippi river  at  a  point  known  as  the  Chickasaw  Bluffs, 
and  ])assed  with  his  band  of  adventurers  to  the  failure 
(13) 


14  The  Backward  Trail. 

that  awaited  his  aspirations  and  dreams.  More  than 
a  century  later,  La  Salle,  passing  down  the  Mississippi, 
built  a  fort  called  Prud'honiine,  near  Memphis,  in 
1714  the  French  built  the  successor  of  Prud'homme, 
calling  it  Fort  Assumption,  and  still  later  Fort  San 
Ferdinando  de  Barancas  was  erected  by  the  Spanish 
government  at  the  mouth  of  Wolf  river  in  tbe  hope  of 
building  the  Southwestern  Fmpirc  of  North  America. 
When  the  United  States  came  into  possession  of  the 
Mississippi  Valley,  the  fort  was  taken  possession  of  by 
the  Americans  and  dismantled,  while  Fort  Pickering 
was  built  furtber  down  the  river. 

It  is  tlius  seen  that  the  western  section  of  tbe  State 
was  early  discovered.  But  it  was  the  last  to  be  opened 
up  to  civilization,  tbe  treaty  of  1818,  by  which  tbe 
Chickasaw  Indians  relinquished  their  rigbts  to  Ten- 
nessee, being  tbe  beginning  of  its  history.  Mem- 
phis, the  metropolis  of  tbat  section,  bad  its  birtli  in 
tbe  early  part  of  1819.  Tbe  virgin  wilcb'rness  around 
it  at  that  time,  Pbelan  says,  1)ore  scarcely  a  trace  of  tbe 
human  band;  the  foundations  of  botb  city  and  county 
were  laid  under  the  sbadows  and  around  the  roots  of 
trees  in  the  midst  of  tangled  undergrowtb.  Tbe  old 
blockbouse  still  stood  in  Fort  Pickering  and  a  few 
straggling  shanties  clustered  around  a  large  and 
primitive  structure  known  as  the  public  ware- 
house, sometimes  called  Young's  warebouse.  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Wolf  river,  l^etween  these  two  were 
thick  cane-brakes  and  a  lieavv  and  luxuriant  growth  of 


West  Tennessee.  15 

timber,  ihrougli  which  a  narrow  footpath  ran  from 
Fort  Pickering  to  Wolf  river.  The  growth  into  im- 
jMjrtancu  of  the  city  lias  been  marvelous.  Though 
fouiuled  after  Xasliville  and  Ivnoxville  had  ac(iuired 
size  and  rejiulation,  it  is  now  hardly  rivaled  in  the 
iSoulhwesi,  lioni  a  coniniei'cial  slandjjoint.  A  city  of 
Ijeauty  and  prosjicrily,  it  stands  above  the  Father  of 
Waters,  interesting  as  its  namesake  on  the  Nile 
when  at  its  best.  In  its  midst  bud  and  bloom 
the  flowers  of  a  semi-tropic  clime;  the  fragrance  of  the 
garden  of  Ciul  j)ernieates  its  residence  streets;  along  its 
business  throughfares  the  baled  snow  of  the  cotton- 
lields  of  ^lississippi,  Arkansas  and  West  Tennessee  is 
drawn,  promising  warmth  ant!  comfort  for  the  world's 
millions.  The  entire  western  section  has  developed 
also,  mitil  one,  considering  it,  recalls  the  tribute  a 
Sonthern  singer  has  paid  the  South:  '"Xo  fairer  land 
hath  fired  a  j)Oct's  lays,  or  given  a  home  to  man." 

Despite  Ihe  early  discovery  of  the  western  1)orders, 
and  the  fact  that  the  Chickasaw  lUuifs  have  ])layed  an 
im})ortant  ])art  in  the  political  history  of  Spain,  branco 
and  Fngland.  the  iirst  actual  settlements  were  made  in 
the  J-'ast;  though  the  home  of  the  Chickasaw  Indians, 
"West  Tennessee  was  not  the  arena  in  which  the  blood 
of  till'  ])ioneers  was  spilled  to  make  a  commonwealth. 
The  Watauga  neighborhood  is  given  as  the  scene  of  the 
first  settlement;  but  it  is  not  venturing  too  much  to 
say  that  had  bort  Lou(b)un  esca])ed  destruction  in 
1T60.  that  would  have  been  the  point  from  which  col- 


i6  The  Backward  Trail. 

onization  would  have  spread.  The  old  fort  has  a  pa- 
thetic interest,  and  has  been  considered  of  sufficient 
importance  to  induce  Miss  3Iurfree,  a  leading  Ameri- 
can fictionist,  to  make  it  the  subject  of  one  of  her  latest 
novels. 

The  fort  was  built  in  1757  on  the  Tennes-see  river 
about  thirty  miles  from  the  present  city  of  Knoxville, 
and  a  mile  above  the  mouth  of  the  Tellico.  It  and 
another  had  been  erected  by  the  British  in  the  Chero- 
kee territory  with  the  consent  of  the  Indians,  for  pro- 
tection against  the  French  and  their  allies,  and  was 
one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  west  of  the  nearest  white 
settlement.  Garrisoned  by  about  two  hundred  British 
regulars,  the  traders,  hunters  and  a  few  settlers  soon 
made  the  place  the  centre  of  a  thriving  settlement. 

While  the  tragedy  of  Fort  Loudoun  excites  our  hor- 
ror, the  Indians  had  great  provocation.  In  many  in- 
stances the  whites  had  treated  them  as  though  the  In- 
dians had  no  rights  that  should  be  respected,  and  as 
if  independence  were  a  thing  to  be  monopolized  Ijy  the 
Anglo-Americans,  l-'or  instance,  the  first  man  who 
Avas  known  to  have  resided  among  the  Cherokees — the 
destroyers  of  the  fort  in  question — was  Cornelius 
Dougherty,  an  Irishman  who  esta])Jished  liimself  as  a 
trader  among  them  in  1G90.  lie  introduced  liorses 
among  them,  and  they  soon  Ijegan  stealing  the  animals 
from  the  whites.  In  retaliation,  the  whites,  living 
along  the  seacoast  of  Carolina,  encouraged  the  tribes 
living  nearer  the  Atlantic  to  steal  the  Cherokees  them- 


Tkouhlk  With  Indians.  17 

selves;.  Hundreds  ol'  the  liUUr  were  taiiliirrd,  f-uld  lo 
the  coloiii.-'is,  and  liy  them  ((iiisigiicd  lo  liaid  lalj(jr  in 
the  iiialai'ial  .-wamps,  ni-  shipjied  lu  Culta. 

The  cause  which  l)r(_iu>:lit  aliciut  llie  ma.-.-aci'c  of  the 
Fort  J^oudouii  >:arris<)ii  rehccts  no  credil  on  llie  whiles. 
The  IJritish  and  l-"iciuh  were  al  war  wilh  each  other, 
and  the  Cherokees  assisted  the  I'oiiiier.  The  IinHans 
kist  their  horses  during'  the  exjiecHlion.  and  on  return- 
ing through  WestiTii  \'ir<:inia  to  their  honirs.  after  the 
captni'e  of  I-"ort  Du  (^)uesne.  they  a]ipi'o|ii-iated  a  num- 
ber of  horses  which  they  found  runuin;:-  in  the  woods. 
With  an  ingratitude  that  \^•as  lU'ver  exceech'd  liy  the 
Indians  themselves,  the  (iernuui  settlers  of  that  region 
attacked  the  unstispecting  Indians  in  tlie  night,  nnd 
killed  and  scal])ed  fouileen.  They  also  took  a  numher 
of  prisoners.  It  is  staled  that  these  ingi'ates,  who  foi-- 
got  tliat  tlie  ('lu'rokee<  had  a-sistr(i  in  pi-otec-ling  their 
lumu's  from  'he  l-"i'ench,  imposed  ilie  scalps  they  titok 
on  the  government  for  those  of  i-"rench  Indians,  and 
ohtain(>(]  iho  prenuum  allowed  al  that  time  hv  law. 
Tliis  natiwally  aroused  a,  dee]i  r(>seutment.  and  Ocon- 
ostota.  head  king  or  arclnmaiius  of  the  ('hei'okees.  f^et 
a1)out  to  seek  swift  and  hluody  revenge. 

The  C'herokees  at  onC'C  (h'Seiled  the  ]-hii:-li>]i  and  he- 
gan  their  massacres.  (lov.  A\'.  II.  I.iltleton.  of  Soutli 
Carolina,  maih'  ]>re]iaration  lo  fofce  them  into  rejiriit- 
ance  and  suhmission.  He  levied  a  consiih'i'ahle  army. 
Awed,  and  (h'signing.  jirohahly.  to  gain  an  advaiitage. 
the  savages  sent  commissioners  to  treat  with  Little- 
2 


i8  The  Backward  Trail,. 

ton.  He  ordered  them  into  the  rear  of  the  army.  Af- 
ter arriving  at  Fort  St.  (ieorge,  the;  commissioners, 
twenty-one  cliiefs,  were  liekl  as  prisoners  there,  the 
Indians  agreeiiig  to  their  retention  until  an  equal 
numher  of  those  who  liad  slain  the  inhabitants  on  the 
frontiers  sliould  be  given  up  in  exchange  for  them. 

Atta-Kulla-Kulla,  vice-king,  was  a  party  to  this 
agreement,  but  desired  that  some  of  the  chiefs  who 
were  imprisoned  might  be  liljcrated  to  assist  him  in 
placating  the  Indians.  Oconostota  and  two  other 
chiefs  were  given  up.  while  other  Indians  were 
taken  in  exchange. 

These  twenty-one  hostages  reUiained  in  prison  about 
two  months,  when  the  Cberokees  resolved  to  attempt 
their  lil)eration  by  stratagem.  Tbe  army  bad  just  left 
the  cotmtry.  and  on  l-'ebruaiy  16,  KdO,  two  Indian 
women  ap])eared  at  Keowee,  on  the  (j])j)osite  bank  of 
the  I'iver,  no  doubt  to  as.-ist  in  carrying  out  some 
scheme  of  Oconostota.  An  officer  of  the  garrison  went 
otit  ami  began  talking  with  them.  Presently  Ocono- 
stota came  up.  lie  drew  from  the  fort  two  other  offi- 
cers to  converse  with  him.  declaring  that  he  wanted  a 
white  man  to  go  with  bim  to  have  a  talk  with  Oov.  Lit- 
tleton: among  these  oiTieers  was  Capt.  (,'otymore, 
against  whom  the  head  chief  entertained  a  deep-rooted 
hatred.  15y  some  means  a  plan  seemed  to  have  been 
concerted  between  the  hostages  and  the  Indians  with- 
otit — for  it  was  soon  shown  that  a  body  of  savages  were 
in  hiding  near  where  he  and  the  whites  were  talking. 


A  FoHT  Attackkd. 


19 


When  proiiiisi'd  ;i  ^iiard  to  ^m)  with  him  lo  Charhs- 
ton,  the  cliirf,  who  licld  a  hiidh;  in  his  liaiul,  said  he 
wouhl  ,1x0  and  catch  his  hoi'se.  'I'lieii  (luickly  turning 
liimseir  aliout,  he  swung'  his  liridle  three  limes  over  liis 
head.  This  was  a  signal,  and  immediately  ahout  thirty 
guns  wei'e  discharged  at  the  grouji  of  ollieers.  Coty- 
more  received  a  fatal  wound,  and  the  otiiei-  olTieers, 
Lieutenants  l-"oster  and  Jlcll,  were  wounded.  They 
were  enaljled  to  reach  the  f(>rt  with  ('apt.  Cotymore, 
and  ordered  the  hostages  ])Ut  in  irons.  An  English- 
man laid  hold  of  out;  of  them,  ami  was  stahhed  to 
death,  and  in  the  scuille  -which  now  took  place  two  or 
three  other  whites  were  wounded  and  driven  from  the 
place  of  eonfinement.  'J'he  affair  was  hy  this  time  Ije- 
ginning  to  look  sei'ious. 

The  attacking  Indians  weie  yelling  outside,  while 
the  hostages  wt-re  shouting  to  cncoui'agc  their  friends 
and  making  evi'ry  ])<issi!)le  eifort  to  {)reveiit  being 
shackled  hy  the  Ih'itish. 

'Idle  fort  proved  too  strong  for  (X-onostota's  primi- 
tive methods,  and  successfully  I'csisted  his  siege.  Infu- 
I'iated  at  the  treaehei'v  of  the  Indians  and  the  hloodv 
resistance  of  the  hostages,  the  whites  eommitted  a 
})iece  of  hrutality  that  may  he  jusiifiaMe  in  contending 
with  savages,  hut  a  thoughtful  luihlic  will  doubt  the 
exigeney;  they  cut  a  hole  in  the  roof  of  tlie  room  in 
which  the  Indian  prisoners  wei'e  conhned.  and  shoot- 
ing down,  hutehered  the  entire  nundierl 


20  The  Backward  Trail. 

The  war  soon  began  to  rage  in  all  its  horrors.  Gath- 
ering a  large  force  of  Cherokee  braves.  CJeonostota  and 
Atta-Kulla-Kiilla  invested  Vhyt  Ijoudoun.  They  had 
on  ^larch  3  assaulted  wiili  musketry  the  fort  at  Nine- 
ty-six, with  no  effect,  and  had  met  Col.  Montgomery 
and  his  force  near  their  village  at  luchoe,  and,  accord- 
ing to  Haywood,  "treated  him  so  rudely  that,  though 
lie  claimed  the  victory,  he  retreated  to  Fort  St.  George, 
whence  he  shortly  afterward  went  to  Xew  York."' 
They  were  to  meet  with  a  measure  of  success  at  h'ort 
Loudoun. 

They  l)esieged  this  place  for  weeks.  Provisions  he- 
came  so  scarce  that  the  whites  were  compelled  to  eat 
horses  and  dogs.  In  vain  did  the  little  garrison  look 
for  Col.  ]\r(jntgomery  or  for  any  other  succor,  l^ng- 
lishmen  were  defending — and  the  siuhhornness  of  the 
defense  can  he  imagined:  each  soldier  could  say,  as 
tlK)se  who  later  defended  Luckiiow: 

"Handful  of  men  as  we  were,  we  were   Englis'n    in   heart 
and  in  limb, 
Strong  with   the  strength    of   the   race   to    command,    to 
obey,  to  endure; 
Each  of  us  fought  as  if  hope  for  the   garrison   hung  but 
on   him; 
Still — could  we  watch   at  all   points?   we  were   evei'v   day 
fewer  and   fewer." 

I'inallv  the  savage>  agi'ecd  to  tcians;  tlte  whites  were 
to  he  allowed  a  safe  reti'eat  to  ilie  settlements  heyoud 
the  Pdue  l{u]u:c.     The  lattt'i-  on  Auiiust   T.  ITGO.  threw 


M.\s.sacki;d. 


21 


into  Iho  river  ihcir  caiiiinii  mid  Imr-icd  a  (iU.uililv  uf 
iuniiiuiiitioii.  and  lakiii^-  uilli  tliciii  .-luh  .-mall  arm.-;  a.< 
were  necc'.<?ar\-  I'nr  liunliii;j:,  Itcgaii  ilicii'  martli  lo 
Soulh  Carolina  .-I'lilcmciil.-.  A  numlici-  oi  Indian.-  ac- 
cumpanic'd   ihcm,  (i.-U'ii.-ilily  a.-  ^utiai'd,-. 

TIk'V  iravcK'(l  unmuIc.-U'd  I'ur  aboiil  twenty  mile.-. 
lIo])e  liepm  to  ri.-r  exullanl  a,uain — llie  sava^ire.-  .-rcmed 
lo  l»e  keejiiny  t'ailli.  lUil  lowai'd  ewiiing  the  Indian 
guard  di.-aji[)eari'd  in  the  w  ihh  i  lu.-.-.  Reaching  a  plaee 
afterward.-  called  Katy  llai'lin",-  iJe.-ei've,  tluy  camped. 
Xever.  perhaps,  to  these  three  or  lour  huudred  whiles 
just  out  of  the  mouth  of  hell  had  the  mockiny-hii'd's 
son<r  in  the  woods  sound(.'(l  mui'r  cheerful;  ni'Ver  had 
the  sun  pnw  down  in  more  _i;(irgeous  heauty;  never 
had  till'  in.-ects  made  evciuiig  more  >\\eetly  musical. 

'J'lie  night  pa.-s(,Ml  \\-iihoul  event,  hut  ahout  dayl)reak 
there  ^\■as  a  yell  of  sa\agc.-  and  the  I'eport  of  lii'f-a.nns. 
!Many  of  tlie  wlutes  wei'c  killed  at  the  ili'sl  volley,  while 
the  {'herokees  laishcd  into  Uk'  i-ani}).  desti-oying.  as  one 
chronicK'r  has  it.  ihe  entire  party^iueii.  women  and 
children — exi-ept  thi-ee  men  who  were  saved  hy  the 
friendly  exertions  of  Alla-K  ulIa-Kulla.  and  al.-o  six 
others  who  had  gone  on  ahead  as  advance  guard. 
Amon.g  those  captured  was  Stu;irt.  a  friend  of  Atia- 
Kulla-Kulla.  who  afterwards,  as  agent  to  the  Southern 
Indian.-,  incited  them  to  take  part  with  hhigland  in 
our  war  for  indeftendence.  and  lo  attempt  the  mas.-acre 
of  the  entire  white  settlements  of  Western  Xonh  Car- 
olina. 


22  The  Backward  Trail. 

Between  two  and  three  hundred  men,  besides 
women  and  ehildren,  fell  in  this  slaughter.  The  In- 
dians made  a  fence  of  their  bones.  For  years  there- 
after tlie  place  was  shunned  as  a  spot  accursed.  ]'hni- 
gration  along  that  route  ceased,  and,  unmolested,  the 
wolves  hovered  near  and  the  vultui'cs  wlieeled  above 
the  veritable  Place  of  Sknlls. 

In  the  summer  of  lT(il  the  Cherokees  were  forced  to 
sue  for  peace  after  their  towns  liad  been  burned,  their 
cornfields  laid  waste  and  their  stock  slaughtered  or 
driven  awav  bv  the  avenging  wliites. 


(iJArTKJJ  111. 

Till',     WATArciA      ASSOC!. \ll()\,     WITH      AN      ACCOIXI'     OF 
AN    Al'l'K.Ml'T     10    UKSTKOY    Till:    FIJIST    sK  ITl.l-.M  I;NTS. 


"J'lasl  'reiint'ssuc  hfi^'iui  Id  \)v  pcrnuiiiciil  l_v  Hctlled  in 
the  winter  of  1 1  r>S-(iIt,'"  -ays  I  laywodd.  "■'I'di  raiiiilifs 
ot  tliesL'  selllei's  eaiUf  fioin  llic  neighljorliood  oi  tlie 
j)laee  wher'j  Jvaleigii  now  s^tands.  in  Xortli  Carolina, 
and  sellled  on  lla'  Watauga.  This  was  ihe  hrst  seule- 
ineiit   in   i'last   Tennessee." 

('a[)t.  William  Huan  came  I'roin  \'ir>:"inia  in  iJiO, 
hiiill  a  eahin  on  the  Watauga,  near  the  niouili  of 
J)oone">  erei'k.  and  his  son.  liiis^cll.  was  the  lir>i  white 
child  horn  in  Tenne.-~LH'.  1)111  the  siiiall  settlement  in 
the  wilderness  was  added  to  liy  other  <etthrs  t-wry 
inonth,  and  hy  KT'-^  Watauga  was  (juite  a  llouiT-hing 
community.  Among  thi'sc  hilcr  arrivals  .-hould  he 
nieniioni'd  James  l\o])erts()n,  c>j)eeially  >ine('  he  was  to 
l)eeome  s.o  prominently  connected  with  all'air-,  first  at 
Watauga  and  later  on  the  Cumhei-land.  lie  came  to 
Watauga,  in  1T10.  hut  not  making  the  >eith'mcnt  his 
liomc  until  1  T1 1. 

I'helan  properly  says  that  tlie  -I'ttlemeiits  along  the 
Watauga  were  made  at  a  time  peculiai'lv  fortunate;  the 
Indian  warfare  had  exterminated  nearlv  all  of  the  In- 
(23) 


24  The  Backward  Trail. 

dian  race  in  the  neigliljorliood;  the  Shawnees  existed 
only  in  small,  wandering  detatcliments,  and  were  gen- 
erally hidden  away  in  the  lofty  recesses  of  the  Cum- 
berland Mountains;  the  Creeks  of  the  Cumberland  re- 
gion had  been  massacred  Ijy  the  Cherokees,  and  the 
latter,  endjoldened  by  continued  success,  had  invaded 
the  Chickasaws  and  Ijeen  repulsed  with  teri'ible  shuigh- 
ter.  For  the  time  being,  and  until  the  Cherokees  had 
recuperated  sufficiently  to  make  war  on  the  A\hites, 
the  chief  danger  arose  from  bands  of  marauding  In- 
dians. 

Other  settlements  sprung  i^p  in  the  meantime — that 
in  Carter's  Valley,  in  the  iieighborhood  of  where  Kog- 
ersville  now  is.  and  that  on  the  Xollichucky,  its  prime 
mover  heing  Jacob  i>rown,  who  opened  a  store.  Forts 
were  l)uilt  at  tlu'sc  place?  fcu'  their  protection. 

Tlierc  is  much  confusion  in  the  history  of  the 
earlier  settlenu'iit  of  the  eastern  section  up  to  1TT2. 
There  had  sprung  up  communities  in  Carters  Valley 
and  on  the  Xollichucky:  the  settlers  had  l)een  seriously 
puzzled  as  to  whether  they  belonged  to  A'irginia  or 
Xorth  Carolina,  and  the  Watauga  jieople  at  last  re- 
solved to  form  an  association  for  their  own  protection. 
Phelan  says  that  at  first  only  two  original  settlements 
lived  under  the  articles — piesumably  AVatauga  and 
Carter's  Valley,  for.  he  says  furthei'.  that  in  ITTo  the 
Brown  or  Xollichucky  pioneers,  heing  com])osod 
mostly  of  Tories,  were  compelled  to  ta.ke  the  oath  to  tlie 
Colonial  cause  in  the  war  with  Great  Britain  hv  the 


Tin-;  Watauoa  Association.  25 

Wiilatipuis  iiiul  ;i  liaiul  ol'  N'iryiiiians  fiitiii  Woll's  Hill, 
aiul  ri'uiii  ilial  tiiiR'  oil  bceaiiic  idi'iililicd  uilli  lliose 
who  I'nuind  tlic  arliilcs;  of  a>snciati(»ii.  Kno.-cvell^ 
HaiiLTuft^  liaiiiscy  aiul  oiIrt  ui-ilcTs  a|>|icai'  snuiculiat 
cuiil'iiSL'tl  oil  this  pdiiil,  as  ihfV  do  on  ihf  mode  of  iiox- 
oriinic'iil  of  W'alaiiga.  Jiul  ii  seems  tdoar  ihal  the  as.-o- 
cialioii  was  formed  in  n^"i,  and  thai  ihe  .-elllcrs  lived 
under  it— virtually  in  an  indcpendenl  colony — until 
altaehed   to  2sorth   Carolina. 

!Mere  spei-tdation  on  these  })oints  is  foreign  to  this 
\vorl<,  for  liku  the  silliiuss  called  liiglier  criticism  of 
the  lUt.)le,  it  tends  oidy  to  confuse;  and  the  rewards  (jf 
so  much  contention  >eem  ha.rdly  worth  while. 

In  1T1()  the  i)o}iulation  of  the  three  settlements  was 
estimated  at  six  hundi'ed.  and  ahmit.  that  time  they 
gave  their  sectinn  the  name  of  W'a.-hington  district, 
and  jielitioned  to  bo  annexed  to  Xortli  (.'arolina. 
Their  petition  was  accepted,  and  the  first  independent 
government  on  Tennessee  soil  came  to  an  end.  It  was 
to  1)0  followed  in  a  few  years  hy  that  of  the  govorn- 
inont  of  J''raid\lin.  also  to  colla]>.-e  before  the  ma- 
chinery of  the  State  of  'rennessee  was  to  1)0  put  into 
rogidar  motion. 

The  residents  of  Washington  District  had  declare(l 
themselves  in  favor  of  the  (-ause  for  Aniei'ican  inde- 
pendence, and  their  patriotism  came  near  proving 
their  extinction.  In  ITIl)  ihey  wei'o  suddenly  warned 
of  an  impending  outbi'eak  by  the  Indians.  ()iu'  Cam- 
eron,   under    the   direction    of   Jolm    Stuart,    who    had 


26  The  Backward  Trail. 

been  saved  from  death  in  the  Fort  Loudoun  affair  by 
Atta-Kulla-Kulla,  assembled  the  chiehs  of  the  Cliero- 
kees  and  bribed  them  to  attack  the  district,  to  destroy 
its  inhaljitants  to  a  man,  and  then  invade  \'n'ginia  and 
Xortli  and  South  Carolina.  It  is  unnecessary  to  say 
that  the  people  were  horriiied  over  the  news.  Tliey 
were  acquainted  with  Indian  warfare,  its  horrors,  its 
mercilessness.  Backed  by  England,  what  might  not 
the  savages  accomplisli? 

Seven  liundred  warriors  were  to  make  the  attaclv  in 
two  divisions,  each  divisioji  to  attack  one  of  the  two 
strongest  forts,  Watauga  and  Ileaton.  Tliis  scheme 
was  divulged  to  the  wliites  by  Xancy  ^\'ard,  a  friendly 
Indian  woman. 

The  forts  were  strengthened  and  ])rovisioned,  and 
runners  were  sent  through  tlie  settlements  to  give  tlie 
people  warning  and  to  tell  them  to  repair  at  once  to 
the  forts.  Five  small  companies,  raised  })artly  in  Vlv- 
ginia,  assembled,  the  oldest  oilicer  being  (.'a})t.  Thomp- 
son. They  marched  to  lleaton's  station.  There  they 
remained  for  a  day  or  two,  when  it  was  learned  that 
the  Indians,  in  a  body  (d'  three  or  four  hundred,  were 
actually  approaching.  Just  above  the  fort  were  flat 
lands,  with  a  few  bushes  and  saplings,  ])ut  otherwise 
open;  it  was  decided  by  the  whites  to  go  out  and  meet 
the  enemy  on  the  flats.  The  corps  consisted  of  one 
liuiulred  and  seventy  m(>n,  with  an  advance  of  ten  or 
twelve  troops  in  front.  Keaching  the  flats,  the  ad- 
vance discovered  a  small  ])arty  of  Indians  and  drove 


PKEPAKINCi    FOR    BaTTLK.  27 

tlieui  back,  but.  did  iiul  nu'fl  I  he  luaiu  body.  A  ball 
was  iikicIl'  and  a  cmiiKil  \\a&  bcld  by  ilic  wiiiius,  ilic 
C'()iK-hi.<ii)ii  iK'iiig  iba!  ibcy  wuidd  ]U(jbal)ly  iiul.  iiiucL 
ibe  savages  ibat  day.  and  it  would  be  prudent  tu  re- 
turn to  tbe  fort.  During  tbe  eonsubation,  and  while 
the  soldiers  were  forined  in  line,  some  one  made  an  uu- 
ftivoral)le  remark  relative  to  the  buk  of  courage  of 
one  of  the  eaptains.  "llv  soon  beard  of  it,"'  says  Hay- 
wood, "and  tbe  corps  having  eommenced  its  returning 
march  in  the  same  order  as  they  bad  marched  forwanl, 
the  eajitain  whom  the  remai'k  im]»licatc(l,  being  at  tbe 
head  of  the  right  line,  after  going  a  short  distance, 
halted,  and  addressi'd  tbe  troojts  in  defense  of  himself 
against  the  imputation.  I'be  whole  iKjdy  collected  into 
a  crowd  to  hear  him.  After  the  address  was  over  the 
oU'endcd  ca})tain  took  tbe  head  of  his  line,  marching  on 
tbe  road  that  led  to  the  station.  lUit  liefore  all  the 
troops  had  fallen  into  the  ranks,  and  left  the  ])lace 
where  they  had  halte(b  it  was  announced  that  the  In- 
dians were  advancing  in  order  of  battle  in  tbe  rearl 
('apt.  'l"hom])son.  the  senior  otlicer.  who  on  the  re- 
turning march  was  at  the  head  of  the  left  line,  ordered 
the  right  line  to  form  for  Iiattle  to  the  right,  and  the 
line  which  be  headed  to  the  left,  and  to  face  the  en- 
emy. In  attemjiting  to  form  the  line  tbe  bead  of  the 
right  seemed  to  bear  too  much  ahmg  the  road  lca(bng 
to  the  station. and  the  jiartof  the  line  fartlicr  back,  yev- 
ceiving  that  tbe  Iiubans  were  eiideavoi-ing  to  outtlank 
them,    were    drawn    off  bv    Lieut.    IJobert    Davis    as 


28  The  Backward  Trail. 

quickly  as  possible,  and  formed  on  the  right,  across 
the  flat  to  a  ridge,  and  prevented  them  from  getting 
around  the  flank.  This  movement  of  Ijieut.  Davis  cut 
olf  a  part  of  the  riglit  line,  which  had  ke])t  too  far 
along  iho  road.  Some  of  them,  however,  when  the 
firing  began,  returned  to  the  main  body,  which  wtis 
drawn  up  in  order  of  batlle.  and  a  few  of  them  kept  on 
to  the  station.  The  greater  ])art  of  the  olhcers,  and 
not  a  few  of  the  privates,  gave  heroic  exam})les  to  cause 
the  men  to  face  about  and  give  battle.  Of  the  latter 
Eobert  Edraiston  and  John  ^lorrison  made  consjiic- 
uous  exertions.  They  advanced  some  j)aces  towai'd  the 
enemy,  and  began  the  battle  Ijy  shooting  down  the 
foremost." 

The  chief  who  led  the  Indians  was  Dragging  Canoe. 
His  warriors  began  the  attack  with  great  fury,  the 
foremost  yelling:  "The  Unacas  are  running;  come  on 
and  scalp  them  I"  Their  first  effort  was  to  break 
through  the  centre  of  Thompson's  command  and  then 
crush  his  flanks  in  detail,  fkit  they  were  not  used  to 
direct  fire,  and  after  a  few  volleys  lied,  leaving  twentv- 
six  warriors  dead.  The  wounded  of  the  savages  died 
till  the  whole  loss  amounted  to  about  foi'ty.  Xot  a 
white  man  was  killed,  and  only  five  wounded,  who  sub- 
sequently recovered.  This  battle  took  place  in  July, 
177(i. 

Hand  to  hatul  conflicts  wove  not  uncommon  in  tho-e 
times.  One  which  took  jilace  in  the  battle  on  the  flats 
is  recorded.     A  soldier  named  Moore  had  shot  a  chief. 


Hand-to-iiand  Conkmct. 


29 


wouiulin^''  liiiii  in  tlii'  knee,  luil  iiol  so  Ijiidly  as  lo  ]irc- 
vi'iil  him  t'rniii  s^illl(lill^^  "'Muore  a(lvancc(l  towai'd 
him/"  >av>  Ii'amscy.  who  gol  the  stoi'v  from  Moore, 
"ami  the  liKhaii  ihrrw  his  l(jmalia\vl<,  hui  mi.-stjd  liim. 
^looi'e  spiaiii:-  at  him  with  his  hir^'-e  biiteher  knife 
(h'awn.  which  the  liuhan  eaiighl  h\-  the  l)hule,  and  at- 
temj)ti'(l  lo  wrest  from  the  luuul  of  his  antagonist, 
llohling  on  wilh  desjirrali'  tenacity  to  the  knife.  Ijoth 
clinched  with  llieir  left  hands.  A  sciilUe  ensued  in 
which  llie  Inilian  was  tlii'own  to  the  ground,  his  right 
luind  hciiig  ncarl}'  severed  and  hleeding  profusely. 
^loore.  still  holding  the  handle  of  the  knife  in  the 
right  hand,  succeeded  with  the  other  to  disengage  his 
own  tomahawk  from  his  belt,  and  ended  the  strife  by 
sinking  it  into  the  skull  of  the  Jndian." 

i')Ut   what   of  all'aii's  at   the  Watauga   fort? 

Agi-eeal)ly  lo  ])]ans  which  had  Ijcen  di\nlged  to  tlie 
whiles,  the  attack  of  a  body  under  Chief  Old  A])rahani 
was  made  on  that  station  I  he  same  day.  Jle  was  to  at- 
tack ]'"oi't  Lee,  in  the  Xollichucky  settlement,  but  the 
iidiabilanis  had  dismantled  ils  fortilieations  and  re- 
treated to  Watauga. 

'Idle  defense  at  the  latter  place  numbered  only  forty, 
nnder  the  command  of  James  IJobertson.  wlio  was  af- 
lei'wai'ds  to  (igure  (-onspicuously  in  the  "Middle  'I'en- 
n<'ssee  section. 

'l"he  Indians  attacked  at  sunrise,  but  were  repulsed 
with   loss.       Tliev   skulked    around   tlie   fort   for   three 


30  The  Backward  Trail. 

weeks,  finally  retreating  on  the  appoach  of  assistance 
from  Virginia.  During  the  siege  they  captured  Mrs. 
William  lieau,  and  l-dlled  some  men  and  boys  who  were 
making  their  way  to  the  fort  for  protection.  A  boy  by 
the  name  of  Moore  was  carrit^d  to  one  of  their  towns 
and  burned  at  the  stake.  "The  garrison  was  only  forty 
men  strong,"  observes  I'helan,  '"but  they  were  under 
the  command  of  an  officer  not  less  resolute,  not  less 
fertile  in  resources,  not  less  cool  in  the  })ri'sence  of 
danger,  than  the  Englishman  wlio.  three  years  later, 
gained  immortality  and  an  l-"nglish  |)eerage  by  the  de- 
fense of  Ciibraltar  against  equally  overwhelming  (xlds. 
The  achievements  of  one  were  viewed  with  wondering 
admiration  by  the  civilization  of  the  world.  The 
achievements  of  the  other,  though  not  less  worthy  of 
all  honor  and  renown,  were  perfcjrmcd  under  tlie  shad- 
ows of  a  primitive  forest  in  a  frontier  fort,  against  un- 
recorded savages.  James  Rubertson  deserves  for  his 
memorable  defense  of  the  Watauga  fort  a  place  not 
less  illustrious  in  the  aniuils  of  Tennessee  than  that 
accorded  to  Lord  Jleathfield  in  the  annals  of  England. 
More  than  three  hundred  Indians  were  hehl  at  bav  hv 
less  than  forty  men  capable  of  service,  and  despite 
stratagems,  and  all  the  arts  ami  cunning  of  an  Indian 
warfare,  midnight  attacks  and  daily  onslaughts,  were 
eventually  com])elk'(l  lo  raise  the  siege  and  retire."' 

A  third  body  of  Indians,  commanded  bv  The  Haven, 
went  up  Carter's  A^alley,  but  finding  the  people  shut 
up  in  forts,  returned  to  their  towns.     Another  band 


Indians  Suk  for  Peacp:. 


31 


wliicli  cainc  u])  the  ('liiicli.  visited  with  lire  and  lonia- 
luuvk  the  whoh'  coiiiitfy  i'roiii  what  is  now  Sullivan 
County  to  Seven-Mih'  I-"ord,  in  V'ir^nnia.  Hut  Xortii 
Carolina  and  \'ii\i:inia  sent  bodies  of  troo[)s  to  j)rote(l 
the  frontiers,  and  these,  with  the  settlers,  entered  the 
Cherokee  country,  compelling  the  Indians  to  sue  for 
])eaee  and  to  cede  much  ol"  their  territory. 


CITAPTEB  IV. 

JOHN    SEVIER,    SOLDIER    AXD    STATESMAX,    AS    WELL    AS 
A  NOTICE  OF  THE  STATE  OE  ERAXKLIX. 

Few  Slates  of  the  Union  have  liad  as  citizens  a 
^■reatcr  nuiiiljur  of  lui'U  ol'  j)i'<jn()unei-'d  individuality 
than  Tenncs.-t'c — nicn  u  lio,  ii'  tlic}'  liad  lived  in  other 
ej)Oclis,  nii^i;iit  lia\e  had  their  deeds  inei'adieahly  ini- 
])ressed  on  the  preserving  tahlets  of  the  eenturies. 
i'lace  and  occasion  have  niucli  to  do  in  niakiiiL;-  hvini:; 
names.  Xo  matter  liow  nuicli  oi'iiiinality  and  genius 
one  has.  tlu'se  allriluites  may  not  he  recognized  unless 
circum>lances  intervene  in  llieir  heliall'.  Admiral 
I)e\vey.  whose  hrilliant  geidus  conceived  tlie  master- 
i'ul  sti'oke  at  }danila  in  ihe  war  lietween  America  and 
Spain.  w(juld  ha\('  pcihajis  (hed  williout  heing  con- 
sidered ahove  medio(-riiy  ris  a  naval  oiTK-ci'  liad  the  war 
never  materialized.  If  nur  c-ivil  war  had  not  ()(-(-nrrrd, 
would  (irant  and  T.ee.  Sherman  and  dack-071.  ^h'ade 
and  J(»hnston  have  had  the  rejuitation  which  is  theirs? 

TTad  Husiavu^  A.  Uenry.  riF  Tenm'S-ee.  heen  given 
the  part  in  Tioman  hi-tory  hlled  hv  Cicero,  he  would 
have  acted  it  so  i>ei'fectly  that  the  world  would  not 
have  missed  the  chief  of  IJoman  or.itors.  IFenrv  Wat- 
terson  would  have  wielded  as  trenchant  and  scholarly 
(32) 


John  Sevier's  Popularity.  33 

a  pen  in  the  duniain  of  crilicisni  as  JeU'rey.  Robert 
L.  Taylor,  wiio  mighi  have  l)een  a  great  actor  or  poet 
if  Jie  had  not  heen  an  orator,  and  in  uhot-e  composi- 
tion are  strangely  bh'iided  tlie  liighest  type  of  liiunor 
and  jialhos,  sialeeratt  and  tlie  plain  wisdom  of  the 
eveiy-day  man.  power  to  sway  I)y  ehxpience  and  defjrive 
Jiatred  of  its  venom  by  the  subtlety  of  his  i;adinage — 
would  be  one  of  the  most  versatile  and  brilliant 
iigures  of  the  times  had  he  been  born  in  an  ei'a  and  a 
sphere  where  originality  is  given  the  oj)portunity  which 
it  must  generally  await. 

Although  but  lately  becoming  appreciated  by  the 
pid)lic  at  large  for  his  excellencies,  perhaps  no  Ten- 
nessean  since  the  first  settler's  cabin  was  built  in  the 
State  has  stood  so  high  for  such  length  of  time  in 
the  affections  of  the  people  of  the  commonwealth  he 
assisted  so  materially  in  building  as  Gen.  John  Sevier. 

He  was  identified  with  the  first  days  of  the  Watauga 
Association:  was  early  made  colonel  of  Washington 
County:  assisted  in  running  down  Ferguson,  the  gal- 
hmt  i^ritish  general,  and  in  bringing  about  the  ca-pture 
of  liis  command  at  King's  ^Mountain — wliicli  battle  was 
tlie  turning  point  of  tlie  war  between  the  colonies  and 
luigland:  took  jiart  with  (Jen.  I'l'ancis  Clarion  in  the 
closing  ■(•enes  of  the  re\oliition:  and  fi'oiu  the  close 
of  the  war  till  the  cession  to  the  rnited  States  b)V 
North  Carolina,  in  V)S1.-  of  all  the  territory  which 
is  uow  the  State  of  Tennessee,  lie  spent  the  greater 
part  of  his  lime  protecting  tlie  frontiers  and  chastising 


34  The  Backward  Trail. 

the  Indians  for  their  depredations  upon  the  whites. 
It  can  be  very  readily  surmised  that  with  such  a 
career  the  popularity  of  Seviei  among  his  countrymen 
mu.-t  have  heen  eimsidurahle,  and  their  conlidence  in 
him  great;  and  that  should  a  crisis  arise  in  their 
all'airs  he  would  he  the  person  to  whom  they  would 
look  for  guidance. 

That  crisis   was  c(jming. 

The  Assemldy  of  North  Carolina,  during  the  April 
session  in  118  i.  approeiating  the  burdens  umler  which 
Congi'ess  was  then  lalioiing — the  hai'assment  of  public 
dcl)t  and  the  clamor  of  creditors — resolved  to  act  u))on 
the  suggestion  that  ""States  owning  vacant  lands  throw 
them  into  the  common  stock  for  defraying  the  ex- 
])enses  of  the  late  war.'"  It  ceded  all  the  territory 
which  constitutes  'J'enuessee,  if  Congress  would  accept 
it  within  two  years.  AVhen  the  settlers  heard  of  this 
— believing  that  tlu'y  would  be  left  without  any  form 
of  government  for  two  years,  during  which  time  they 
couid  not  hope  for  [irotcction  or  assistance  frotn  cither 
Xoi'th  Cai'olina  or  the  Tnited  States — thev  were 
naturally  cni'ageil.  They  reasoned  tha.t  the  I'ast  Ten- 
uessT'e  setllenienls — where  really  the  oidy  disalTcction 
e.\i>te<l — were  not  entitled  to  a  superioi'  court,  and  so 
crime  would  ha\"e  to  go  unpunished:  it  was  not  lawful 
for  a  brigadier-general  to  call  into  service  the  militia 
of  tlie  County,  and  thei-ef'U'e  wliat  protection  could 
1h('V  have  from  the  rndian-,  who  were  still  aggressive 
and  intent  on  checkinii-  the  i^'rowth  of  the  settlements? 


Talk  oi*  Separation.  35 

Til  iiioiiiotits  of  rcscniment  and  disirn.-i,  a  falsehood, 
liaviii^  a  inodiciiiii  of  spt'cioii.-iic.-s,  may  for  a  whilL! 
really  ^i,'et  lln'  ascciidi'iicy  of  liutli:  and  ihere  were 
iiol  wanting  amhiiinns  .-pii'its  lo  mislead  and  frighten 
the  [UTpjilc  with  prohaliilitio  that  were  very  reniole. 
to  say  the  least.  There  were,  too,  many  ])ersons  who 
were  honest  enongh  in  the  Iteiief  that  the  settlei's 
had  not  only  hreii  mistreated,  hut  that  unless  a  se])a- 
rate  government  were  formed  hy  the  ^\'estern  settle- 
ments, theii'  very  exi-lenee  would  he  jeojtardized; 
Sevier   was   among    the    latter   elass. 

'idle  ]ieo[ile  l)eeame  more  exeited  as  the  weeks  went 
hy.  and  though  later  on  tlie  Assemhly  repealed  tlie 
eession  act  and  afet'(led  to  (,lher  demands  of  the  set- 
tlers, forming  the  nnlitia  into  a  hrigade  and  making 
Sevi(M-  hi'igadier-general  among  other  tilings,  they 
elamored  still  for  sepai'ation.  Sevier  himself  on  the 
11th  n{  Decemher,  KSI.  after  the  Assemhly  had  met 
and  adjourned,  addres^ed  the  electors  assemhled  at 
Joneshorough.  saying  that  ■"the  grievances  wdiicli  the 
]MHiple  complained  of  are  redressed,  and  my  recoiii- 
menthition  to  them  is  that  they  ])roceed  no  further 
in  their  di'sign  to  >e]>arate  fiom  Xortli  Carolina."  ITo 
mor(^  than  once  urged  this  view,  hut  tinforitniately 
('a])t.  William  Cocke  in  an  interview  with  him  erased 
the  im])i-e>sion  he  had  rcceive(]  toward  the  government 
of  Xorth  Carolina.  Tlie  movement  to  separate  Avas 
carried  out,  and  as  might  h;ivc  heen  cxjiecti'iT.  since 
he  was  tlio  most   po}nilar   person  in   the   discontented 


36  Thk  Backward  Trail. 

settlemt'ius.  John  Sevier  was  in  1T85  elected  Governor 
by  the  asjenihly  o£  the  new  State,  wliieii  was  given 
tile  name  of  I^'ranklin,  witli  its  capital  at  Greeneville. 

.\s  (iihnore  correctly  contends,  Sevier  made  a  great 
mistake  in  allowing  hinisell'  to  Ije  forced  into  the  leiider- 
shi})  of  llie  new  State,  which  was  deslincd  to  be  of  such 
short  duration.  It  vras  jicrhaps  tlie  mistake  of  his 
life,  and  not  only  lii'ouglit  him  enemies  and  made  him 
an  outlaw  for  awhile,  but  reall\-  came  very  nearly  in- 
volving him  in  a  trouljle  with  Spain,  which  would 
have  turned  the  course  of  his  destiny  from  that  honor- 
able gi'oove  which  ultimately  led  to  fame  and  a  grate- 
ful pco]>le"s   love. 

The  new  Stale — the  predecessor  of  Tennessee — was 
short-lived.  One  of  the  chic!'  c-auses  for  ils  toppling 
was  the  growing  sentiment  among  the  branklin  peofjle 
themselves  for  reconciliation  with  Xorth  Carolina. 
John  Tipton,  who  at  the  begiiining  of  the  talk  of 
separation  was  an  ardent  fi'iend  of  the  cause,  was  one 
of  the  most  prondnent  deserters.  This,  it  has  been 
said,  was  through  his  jeahjusy  of  Sevier  because  the 
latter  was  looked  to  in  reverence  by  the  people  and 
honoi'cd  with  the  high.est  olTice  in  their  gift.  The 
fact  that  one  fails  to  be  tlms  selected  is  not  always 
indicative  of  a  lack  of  fitness:  witness  the  failure  ni 
Clay  and  A\'ebstei-.  But  in  the  case  of  Tipton  it  was 
diU'erent.  lie  was  courageous,  but  not  ])ossessed  of 
gi'cai  intellectual  foi'ce.  lie  became  Sevier's  l)itterest 
critic.   ;)s  well   as  an   inijilacaljle   enemy   to   the   cause 


A  Mi:kcil1';.ss  Jvxi;mv. 


37 


(k'iir  [o  Si'vi('i-"s  licarl.  llic  >iicccss  of  llic  iirw  Slate. 
The  iic'i'soii  who  lias  hccii  an  altdlor  in  an  iimlci'lakiiii;-, 
and  llicii  cliaiiiii's  and  rrrorni.-  liccau.-c  of  a  cliani^L'  i/t' 
cii'fimislaiu-i's  or  hooausc  \iv  sees  ni.u'c  clcaiiy,  is  apl 
to  lie  coii^idcrcMl  vacillaliiiu'.  ,11'  ii>'  licconirs  a  lioislcr- 
ous  and  niali^^nanl  clian^cliii;-;'.  lie  is  llicu  ainio.-l  ci  i'- 
iainly  i-(\u'ar(l('d  as  a  i-cncuadc.  'I'lic  pul)!:"  has  [onn:  <1 
i]\v  latter  estimate  of  'ri|ilon,  and  it  wil!  l)e  a  task 
for  (he  Instoi'ian  to  eiiantz'e  this  idea. 

After  Sevii'r  l)etanie  ^u'ovei  nor  of  l-'ranklin,  Tij)loa 
inaugiira.ted  a  relentless  war  on  liini  nntil  the  new 
State  collapsed  in  KSH.  Thou^li  Sevier  was  neces- 
sarily chagrined  liy  his  failure,  this  enemy  was  still 
too  \indicti\'e  to  show  f^eiierosity.  fie  it  was  who  ar- 
rested the  e\-n-()vernor  and  had,  him  ])laced  in  irons. 
While  a  n.innher  of  tlu'ir  a(-(|uaintances  a;id  eomra.des 
were  at  Jorieshoi'ouuii  in  .Vovend)ei'.  IISS,  says  Hay- 
wood. uivinL:'  a  snecinct  desei'iption  of  the  interesting 
horder  episode.  Sevier  came  ridinu"  into  town  with  ten 
or  twelve  ineii.  Th.is  wa.s  soon  ;;ftei'  his  I'ctui'n  fi'om 
nn  ex])editio!i  against  tlie  Cherokees.  '"'riiere  he 
drank  fi-ei^ly."  continues  the  historian,  "nnd  in  a  -iu.rt 
time  a  controver--A-  arose  hetween  him  ;ind  ^lajor 
Craig,  u'ho  ;;i  t'lat  time  lived  where  ^lai'y\iiie  now 
stands.  i'es]ieeting  the  killing  of  tho-e  fi'iendly  Ttulians 
in  the  spring  of  the  veai'.  whieli  oceasioned  the  war 
with   them   thai    then   existed.*     C'rai"'  een>ured   Sevier 


*  Tills  has  reference  to  the  Kirk  butchery,  mentioned  In  Ch.ipter  X  of 
this  work. 


38  The  Backward  Trail. 

for  not  ])revenling  the  nuirder,  Craig  having  l)een 
present,  wlien  it  happened,  and  under  the  eomniand 
of  Sevier.  Those  wlio  were  |)resent  interposed,  and 
hrouglit  them  to  friendly  terms.  Tlie  general  ( [Martin, 
who  was  ol  the  numl)er_).  ]ilaj.  King,  and  C'(.)l.  Love 
left  them  and  set  off  for  Col.  Love's  house,  fourteen 
miles  distant.  Xot  heing  ahle  to  go  that  far,  Gen. 
^lartin  and  King  stop])ed  at  a  house  near  Col.  Kohin- 
son's.  After  they  left  Jonesljorough  another  quarrel 
arose  Ix^tween  Sevier  ajul  Caldwell,  the  foi'mer  advanc- 
ing with  a  ])istol  in  liis  liand,  and  Caldwell  with  a 
rock.  The  pistol  accidentally  fired,  and  shot  one  of 
Sevier's  men  in  the  abdomen.  Shortly  after  this 
Sevier  left  Joneshorough  and  came  hy  a  place  near 
Col.  Eobinson's,  wheru  Col.  L(jve  had  taki-n  up  and 
sto])ped  at  Rohinson's  still  house,  where  they  all  drank 
freely,  and  after  some  time  separated.  After  Sevier 
left  Jonesl)orough.  Caldwell,  with  whom  he  had  quar- 
reled, went  to  TiiUon.  and  in  going  and  retui'ning 
collected  eiglu  or  ten  me!i.  with  wliom  he  weiit  in 
pursuit  of  Sevier.  Arriving  at  the  house  where  Col. 
Love  lodged,  he  went  with  tlieni  to  Col.  liuhinson's 
where  Cen.  ]\lartin  and  ^kFaj.  King  were.  Ti])ton  tliere 
had  a  close  search  made  for  Seviei-.  sii|i])0siiig  tliat 
as  there  ■was  a  good  understanding  between  IJohinson 
ami  him.  tlie  latter  might  l;e  there.  The  ]iursuers 
tlien  went  to  the  widow  lirowiTs.  where  Sevier  was. 
Tipt(jn  and  the  party  with  him  rushed  foi'ward  to 
the  door   of  commrin   entranre.     Tt   was  ahout   sunrise. 


Si':vii:k  Akki:st]:i). 


39 


^frs.  lirowii  li;i(l  just  v\>rn.  Serin;:,-  a  party  wiili  iii'ius 
at  thai  early  liuiir,  well  ac(|iiaiiit(,'(l  with  Cdl.  Tipton, 
pro1)aI)ly  riiililly  apprt'hcndiii;:-  the  caii.-e  (if  this  vi^it, 
slie  sat  luTsi'ir  (Kiun  in  tlic  I'lunt  ddoi-  t(i  pi'cNcnt  tlnjir 
getting:  into  the  liouse,  wliicli  caused  a  cdiisideralilo 
bustle  l)et\veen  liei'  and  Col.  Tipton.  Seviei'  had  .-lept 
near  one  end  of  the  hou<e,  and  on  hearing'  the  noise 
spruii<r  from  his  1)ed.  aiul,  looking:'  thi'oui:h  a  hole  in 
the  door-side,  saw  Col.  Lose,  ujion  whieh  he  opened 
tlie  door  and  held  ont   his  hand,  sayin;;:,"  to  Col.  Love: 

"  'I  surrender  to  you.' 

'Tie  wa.s  in  his  undress,  and  Col.  T>ove  le<]  him  to 
the  i>laee  ■where  Tij)ton  and  .Mrs.  Hrown  were  eon- 
tending  ahout  a  jiassage  into  the  house.  Tipton,  on 
seeing  Sevier,  wa.s  greatly  enraged,  and  <woi'e  that  he 
woidd  liang  him.  Ti])ton  held  a  ]ustol  in  his  hand, 
sometimes  swearing  that  he  would  shoot  him,  and 
Sevier  really  was  afraid  that  he  would  juit  his  tin-eat 
into  execution.  Tijiton  at  last  hecanie  calm,  and  nr- 
dered  Sevier  to  get  his  horse,  for  that  he  would  carry 
liim  to  Jonesl)o]'(uigh.'' 

Haywood  has  given  the  outlines  of  a  typical  horder 
scene,  and  those  who  have  witnessed  similar  occur- 
rences in  some  hack-country  neighhorhoiid  can  resoi't 
to  the  memory  to  give  the  all'air  the  proj'ci-  coloring. 
The  dirt  road  leading  thi'ougli  a  mountainous  and.  at 
that  season,  hleak  couutrv:  the  scattered  log  cahins 
fi'om  which  at  the  approach  of  the  crowd  women  and 
children  emerged  to  get  a  glimpse  of  Xollichucky  Jack, 


40 


The  Backward  Trail. 


who  in  the  g:;lia!iL  way  lie  had  saliiled  ihcin  g)'acii)U<ly; 
"the  lilllc  i-lrcaiii^  rinuiiiig-  aciuss  the  ruad,  whuio  tiio 
horses  paused  lo  ^lake  iheir  ihirsi;  peihaps  suj)ie  loud 
talking  nvw  and  ih.en,  wherein  gaseonade  entered  lai'go- 
ly — i'o]'  the  liorder  product,  tlie  bully,  was  not  lacking 
in  iii()>l  cidlections.  'I'liO  ])r()c(/edings  at  tlie  still  h(juse 
form  a  siiiking  feaiiire  of  the  j)icture.  as  do  t!ie 
pursuit  hy  ('ahlwell  and  Tipton,  and  the  latter's  swag- 
ger and  hhi.-ier  a.-  he  thought  lie  at  last  had  his  hated 
rival  where  he  c(ndd  crush  hhn. 

A\'hen  the  ].)risoner  ari'ived  ;!t  Juneshoj'ough.  Tipton 
ordered  him  put  in  irons,  and  fi-um  tluTC  had  him 
taken  to  ?ilnrganton.  where  he  li;id  no  douht  "otit- 
raged  law'"  woidd  make  an  example  of  the  ex-govermir. 

l!ut  Sevier  had  friends  who  (h'd  not  foisak'r  him. 
As  iiate  had  l)(>en  the  ju'ime  f;!Cior  in  tins  oirem-'O 
against  his  lihcrtics.  it  i-  somewhat  natural  feir  Ten- 
nesseans,  at  hast,  to  feel  a  tliriU  of  plea.-ure  over  the 
outcome  of  the  arrest;  foi-  persL'Cution  u.siially  arouses 
symjiathy  for  the  victim  in  the  b(jsums  of  tlio.-e  who 
like  fair  play. 

A  few  days  aftcrwai'ds.  Sevier's  trial  was  being  held 
at  .Morganton,  ^'oi'tli  t'arolina.  The  erowd  in  atiend- 
ance  was  of  course  lai'ge.  owing  to  the  wide  reputalinn 
of  the  Indian  fighter  and  audr.eioViS  leader  of  the  you.ng 
(Mjnniionwealth  which  had  c;ai.-ed  the  State  so  much 
tr(udjle.  Sevier  nnght  or  might  n(jt  have  Ije^-n  un- 
(•a-y  I'egarding  the  result  of  the  investigation.  lie 
had    not    seen    hiis    old    friend.-.    James    I'ozbv    and 


Till';  Ri-sciJC  41 

Xalliaiiiel  Mvaiis,  whuii  llicy  I'ddc  up  in  IVoiil  of  the 
cuurl-huusf,  and  IclL  .-^laiuliiii!,-  iIhtc  a  sjilundid  llior- 
uughljrc'd  hurtle  which  was  v)Uiied  hy  Sevier;  hiil  when 
the  Lwo  entei'ed  liie  loiii'l  j-noiii,  he  sized  up  tlie  siUia- 
liun  (piiekiy.  and   pi'epare(l   to  aet. 

Cozh\-,  narrales  JMielan.  stepped  in  tVonl  of  the 
judu'e.  and  in  a  h)ud  voice  asked  if  he  was  (hdie  with 
thai  man,  j)ointin^'  to  Sevier.  In  the  iiiidsl  of  the 
confusictn  pixxhiced  l)y  this  une.\])ec-ted  interlude, 
Sevier  made  a  rush  for  the  (K)or,  s])rany  upon  liis  horse, 
and  was  soon  far  u\)  the  mountain  road,  where  he  was 
joined  hy  a  pai'ty  of  friends.'''  Tlii're  was  no  further 
eifi)!'!,  to  try  nini.  Jle  was  even  ek'cled  l(.)  the  .Xorili 
C'aroHna  senate  from  (ireene  County,  and  was  aUowed 
to  take  Ids  seat.  Xot  oidy  tliis,  lie  was  soon  ajipointed 
brigadier-general  of  the  we>tei'n  counties:  ajid  'I'iplon 
finally  saw  that  it  was  useless  to  try  to  re])ress  him 
and  wisely  gave  U}),  thongh  his  hatred  lasted  through 
life. 

Sevier's  jiopnlarity  was  swift  and  permanent.  Soon 
after  his  rceonciliation  witii  Noilh  Carolina  he  was 
elected  to  Congress.  lie  was  for  six  toi'ms  governor 
of  'rennessec.  and  (,'lected  to  Congrt'ss  again  in  l.Sll. 
In  ISl--)  he  was  appointed  l)y  Pi'esideiit  Monroe  to 
locate  the  hou.ndary  lines  )f  the  Creek  territoiw,  and 
tlied  in  Alahaina  on  Se})lendier  '^\.  l^-lo.     His  remains 

*  Tills  draiiiatic  iiu-idi'iit— tlie  n'sciic  of  Sfvici— is  declared  by  later 
writers  tliau  Phelan  to  be  a  fietiuii.  But  all  proeeedings  against  him 
were  suddenly  stopped. 


42  The  Backward  Trail- 

were  removed  from  Alabama  in  IbbU,  and  re-inierred 
in  the  court-liou.se  yard  at  Kuoxvillej  wliure  a  suiiable 
granite  monument  now  marks  the  last  resting-place 
of  the  dust  of  one  of  whom  it  can  Ije  truthfully  said, 

"  Whatever  record  leap  to  li;j;ht, 
He  never  shall  be  shamed." 

For  some  unacc(juntable  reason,  Sevier's  memory  has 
been  allowed  to  fall  into  neglect.  He  was  hone&t, 
chivalrous,  devoted  lo  his  family,  indefatigable  in  bis 
efforts  to  protect  and  furtber  the  inieresls  of  the 
pioneers,  a  gallant  olllcer  in  the  revolutioriai'y  war, 
an  able  statesman  and  without  guile,  and,  as  before 
remarked,  no  })ublic  man  of  Tennessee  has  a})proached 
him  in  personal  popularity,  if  vre  except,  perha])s.  lion. 
Robert  L.  Taylor.  Tlie  tributes  of  the  historians  are 
worth  much.  They  are  unstinted  in  Sevier's  case. 
Says  Haywood,  who  died  only  a!)(nit  a  decade  after 
Sevier  ])assed  away:  '"He  was  among  the  frontier  ])co- 
ple,  who  adored  him.  He  bad  by  iialui'c  a  talent  for 
acquiring  popular  favor.  He  had  a  friendly  deineanor, 
a  ])] easing  address,  and.  to  crown  all,  he  was  a  soldier." 
(iihnore,  in  a  bistorical  vork  publisjied  in  ISIJS, 
observes:  "I  have  called  him  a  bei-o,  a  soldier,  ami  a 
statesman;  bttt  he  was  more  than  all  of  these;  he  was 
a  civilizer,  a  good  organize]-,  a  iratiou-builder."  And 
Plielan  pays  him  this.  deser\cd  triljuie:  "To  say  tbat 
be  was  in  his  s])here  a  statesman  of  tbe  first  order  of 
ability,  and  that  as  a  warrior  h^e  was  excelled  by  none 


A  Gkkat  Imguri:. 


43 


who  cn^^a^U'd  in  the  same  mode  ol'  war  fare,  and  lliat 
he  never  h)^l  a  Wallle.  claims  ti>i-  liiiii  a  hi^h  place 
anioiiij:  the  gri'al  men  ul'  I  he  world.  Only  he  aeled  on 
a  small  slage.  There  ean  he  no  doiihl  ihal  he  is  ihe 
gi'ealest  llgnre  in  Tennessee  history,  and  there  is  a.s 
lillh'  (loul)l  that  outside  the  mountains  and  valleys  of 
l-!asl  'I'ennesset'  he  is.  IVoni  a  popular  standpoint,  a.s 
little  known  as  if  he  ha<l  l.ieeii  one  of  the  shejiherd 
kings  of  l-'gypt." 

It  is  lioped  that  hefore  the  fad  of  "revivals"  sliall 
liave  eonic  to  an  end.  tlie  ])ul)li('  will  awaken  fully 
to  the  worth  of  this  interesting-  American. 


CIIAPTEE  V. 

THE     SETTLING     OF     MIDDLE     TENNESSEE,     NOTING     THE 
BEGINNING    OE    INDIAN    ATK0CITIE3. 

In  one  of  the  histories  of  Tennessee  it  is  held  that 
the  first  settler  of  Middle  Tennessee  was  a  trapper 
hy  the  name  of  Thomas  Sharpe  Spencer,  lie  ar- 
rived on  the  Cnmberland  in  ITTS  witli  a  few  compan- 
ions, hut  considering  the  dangers  surrounding  the 
forming  of  a  settlement  too  great,  all  hut  Spencer  re- 
turned, lie  took  u])  his  a])ode  in  a  large  hollow  tree 
near  what  is  now  known  as  Castalian  Sju'ings,  in  Sum- 
ner County,  and  remained  there  through  the  winter. 
"lie  saw  no  one  and  heard  not  the  sound  of  a  human 
voice,"  to  quote  Phelan.  "It  is  related  as  historically 
true  that  he  passed  once  not  far  from  the  cahin  in 
which  dwelt  a  hunter  in  the  service  of  I)e  ^lumhrcun, 
and  that  the  hunter,  seeing  the  ini])rint  of  his  enorm- 
ous foot,  Ix'came  frightened  niul  fled  through  tiie  wil- 
derness to  the  I-'rench  settlements  on  the.  Wahash.  His 
gigantic  figure,  alone  in  the  midst  of  tlie  endless  foi'ests. 
wandering  and  hunting  througlunit  their  vast  de])lhs, 
the  herald  of  a  coming  civilization,  cool,  courageous, 
and  self-reliant,  going  to  slec|)  at  night  In'  a  solitary 
camp-fire,  with  the  hooting  of  the  owls  and  the  scream- 
(44) 


The  Cumberland  Region.  45 

ing  ol'  paiilliiTS  aruuiui  liiin  and  with  no  assurance 
ui'  ihc  al>M-ncc  uT  a  deadlier  I'ue,  is  une  oi  liie  must 
picluresqiif  in  Uie  liislorv  oi'  .-uiiilnveslurn  pioneeift."" 
Jim  in  llii'J-lU  (.'asj.er  Aian.-kcr.  .Miiahani  liled.-oe  and 
tJdlin  liaiiis  visiled  a.s  luinU'is  ami  exjilorer:-  the  east 
side  of  C'lunberland  river;  and  in  ilie  year  1111.  Man.s- 
ker.  aeei)ni|)anied  by  Joseph  Drake,  Isaae  IMedsoe  and 
others,  visited  the  ecnnitry.  Again,  in  1T15,  Mansker 
arrived  in  the  C'nnd^erlar.d  legion,  hut  no  one  re- 
mained. St)  that  Speneer  seemed  really  the  earliest  to 
have  a  well-delined   mission  as  a  pioneer. 

Within  a  year  from  Spiiuer"s  arrival  (jiiile  a  num- 
ber of  emigrants  reaehed  tlie  Cumberland  and  built 
ealiins  and  ea.-i  their  corn  crops.  Among  these  were 
James  Jiobeitsou.  }iro]ieily  called  the  founder  of 
^Middle  Tennessee.  George  Frceland,  A\'illiam  Xeelly, 
I'Alv.ard  Swanson.  James  Ilanly.  Mark  Robertson, 
Zachariah  AVells  r.nd  William  Overall,  and  a  negro  man. 
After  their  an'ival  another  snudl  party  under  Casper 
^Tanskcr  joimd  ihem.  They  settled  near  the  Sulphtir 
Spring  on  the  site  of  Xashville.  not  far  from  the  ruins 
of  the  c-abin  Ijuilt  some  years  before  by  the  J-'rench 
trader,  De  ^iumbreun.  Later  on  Kobeitson's  company 
was  to  be  joined  by  theii'  f,;mili(S  as  well  as  additional 
settlers  under  tlio  guidance  of  ('ol.  John  Donelson. 
who  were  to  make  ilieir  journey  by  water.  There 
were  some  women  and  ehildi'en  with  the  Alansker 
]  tarty. 

Wheti  the  settlers  came  t'->  the  S;dt  Lick,  the  present 


46  The  Backward  Trail. 

site  of  Xashville,  there  was  no  evidence  that  the  coun- 
try liad  ever  been  in  cultivaiion.  "Xothing  was  pre- 
sented to  tlie  eye,"  says  Haywood,  "'but  one  large  plain 
of  woods  and  cane,  frc(|uented  by  biiil'alos,  elk,  deer, 
wolves,  foxes,  panthers  -and  other  animals  suited  to 
the  climate.  The  land  adjacent  to  the  French  Lick 
which  Mr.  ^lansker  in  1T69  called  an  old  field,  was 
a  large  open  piece,  frefpiented  and  trodden  Ijy  buffalo, 
whose  large  paths  led  to  it  from  all  parts  of  the 
country,  and  there  concentred.  On  these  adjacent 
lands  was  no  undergrcjwtli  nor  cane  as  far  as  the  creek 
reached  in  time  of  high  water;  or,  rather,  as  far  as 
the  Ijackwater  reached.  The  country  as  far  as  to  Elk 
river  and  Ijeyond  it,  had  not  a  single  permanent  in- 
habitant except  the  wild  beasts  of  the  forest,  but  it 
had  been  inhabited  inany  centuries  before  by  a  numer- 
ous population.  At  every  lasting  s})ring  is  a  large  col- 
lection of  graves,  made  in  a  particular  way,  witb  the 
heads  inclined  on  the  sides  and  feet  stones,  the  whole 
covered  with  a  stratum  of  mold  and  dirt  about  eight 
or  ten  inches  deep.  At  many  springs  is  the  appearance 
of  walls  inclosing  ancient  habitations,  the  foundations 
of  which  were  visible  wherever  the  earth  was  cleared 
and  cultivated,  to  which  walls  cntrenclnnents  were 
sometimes  added.  These  walls  sonu'times  inclose  six, 
eight  or  ten  acres  of  land:  and  often  they  are  more 
extensive.  Judging  from  tlie  number  and  frequencv 
of  these  appearances,  it  cannot  be  estimated  luit  that 
the  former  inhabitants  were  ten  times,  if  not  twenty 


Ari'ivAKANCK  oi'  Indians.  47 

times,  mure  iiunicrdu-  than  lliose  who  ai  j)resent 
(lb"<^3)  uccuj)}-  ihu  cuiimiy."" 

The  wiiiUT  of  ill'J->s(^  \\a.<  an  unusually  severe  one, 
and  the  juoneers  e.xperieneed  a  i'ou;:h  lime.  Tliere 
was  nothing-  Tor  their  stock  lo  subsist  u|io]i  but  cut 
cane.  Tlie  settlei's  sustained  lite  by  eatin<^^  bear  and 
bull'alo  meat;  while  in  Tebruary  heavy  and  continuous 
rains  set  in. 

They  saw  nothing  of  the  Indians  until  January, 
1780.  I'arly  in  that  month  some  of  the  settlers  who 
had  been  in  the  woods  in  pursuit  of  game  discovered 
tracks,  which  they  surnustd  were  Indians"  from  the 
fact  that  moccasins  were  worn,  and  tlic  toes  of  the 
tracks  were  none  of  them  turned  outward  like  those 
of  white  people.  Their  suspicions  jiroved  correct.  A 
party  of  about  sixty  Delaware  Indians  made  the  foot- 
prints. They  came  from  the  direction  of  Caney  Fork 
river,  and  cam]ied  near  the  head  of  ^lill  Creek.  When 
questioned  by  the  whites,  they  claimed  that  they  had 
only  come  into  the  neighljorhood  to  hunt.  It  is  be- 
lieved that  they  were  the  first  Indians  to  molest  the 
whites  on  the  C'und)erland. 

Iiolicrtson's  ]iarty  soon  saw  the  necessity  of  taking 
shelter  in  lilochhouses  and  st;itions.  That  at  the  liluifs, 
Xashhorough.  was  the  principal  station,  but  others 
were  built — Fi'eeland's.  nortli  of  Xashborough;  h^aton's, 
on  the  east  bank  of  the  river:  Gasper's,  ten  miles  north 
at  the  ])resent  town  of  Coodlcttsville:  Asher's.  three 
miles  from  (iallatin:  Bledsoe's,  eiuht  miles  from  Gal- 


48  The  Backward  Trail. 

latin;  Donelson's,  on  Stone's  river,  near  the  Stone's 
Kiver  bridge  on  the  Lebanon  and  Xashville  pike;  and 
Fort  Union^  in  a  Ijend  of  the  river  six  miles  above 
Kashborough.  Laws  similar  to  those  for  the  govern- 
ment of  the  Watauga  Association  vrcre  also  made. 

The  caution  of  the  scttka-s  was  timely,  for  they 
were  not  long  to  remain  mrdisturbed. 

In  April,  1780,  the  Indians  began  a  series  of  butch- 
eries which  lasted  in  the  Cumberland  settlement  for 
years.  In  that  month  Keywood  and  Milliken,  two 
hunters,  comiug  to  tlie  fort,  stop])ed  on  Eichland  Creek, 
five  or  six  juiles  west  of  Xasldoorough,  and  as  Keywood 
stepped  down  to  the  l)auk  of  the  creek  to  drink  the 
Indians  fired  upon  ]\Iilliken  and  killed  him.  Murders 
were  after  this  committed  almost  every  day  for  months 
by  the  Indians,  who  regarded  neither  age  nor  sex.  In 
many  instances  they  cut  off  the  victims'  heads.  Mans- 
ker's  station  was  broken  up,  the  stationers  fleeing  to 
Xashborough  and  to  Kentucky;  and  the  Eenfrocs  and 
their  relatives  who  founded  a  settlement  on  Ked  river 
at  the  present  site  of  the  little  city  of  Clarksville  were 
driven  away,  and  on  tlieir  return  for  their  property 
were  massacred.  Donelson's  Station  was  also  al)an- 
doned.  It  is  hardly  a  matter  for  wonder  tliat  a  num- 
ber of  tlie  settlers  returned  to  the  older  colonies,  wliile 
others  would  have  gone  liad  it  not  been  for  the 
scarcity  of  horses. 

James  liobertson  discouraged  retreat.  Few  men  have 
shown  a  more  stubborn  i-esistance  to  failure,  a  bolder 


RoinCKTsoN's  Chakacti;r.  49 

front  to  disaster.  '■'riuTc  arc  cliai'actcrs  ulioiii  we  ad- 
min' with  (.'M'li  and  imjias-ioiiatc  MTciiily  hut  iijmmi 
whom  \vi'  rely  with  utter  ahaiKhui,""  says  a  hioizi'jipher. 
"ilohertson's  el;araeter  was  of  lhi>  kiiuL  Jl  wa>  well- 
built,  with  solid  masonry  and  hroad  foundations,  lie 
is  eminently  1  rust woi'lhy.  We  are  filled  with  a  kind 
of  jo\i»us  admiration  of  oui-  humanity  when  we  see 
blended  in  him  so  much  irio(h'Sly  and  so  mueli  forti- 
tude, lie  possessed  rather  foilitude  than  hraxcry. 
Tlie  lack  of  fear  was  >uv\i  a  part  of  his  hein^j;;  that 
we  learn  to  take  it  as  a.  ma.tter  of  coni'se.  It  was  a 
part  of  tlic  times  and  the  ])eople.  I'ui.  liis  fortitude 
lifts  liim  io  an  altitude.  Jt  nevei'  wavers,  it  never 
quails,   il    never   I'ct reals." 

lie   had    er.rly   taken    hi.-    position   a.-   leader,   and   he 
performed    prodiij'ies   (o   eiieoura,u'e    the   si't.lers   and    to 
insure  their  safety  and  success. 
4 


CIIArTEPt  YI. 


FUimiEit   :\ii:x-iiox    or   jrvL::^'!^   ix   tjik   cu.mbehlaxd 

si:TTLj:.AiJ:xi',-^  axd  ja:,!Es  liuJiLUT^ox's 

AC.llIK\'E_^:i:XTS. 

Jolni  Sf\iijr  \\'as  iIil'  jiuj;-!  ])ro]niiieui  Iron  tic  r.-man 
of  the  -Ku.-t  Tt'imi'^ec  .seul-iucnt.-.  but  Jan)';=  iiuljert- 
sou  won  emialjlL-  {lir-iiuciiiju  at  W'alauga  and  in  the 
Cuuiljeihuid  coiiiimuiiiy  a.-  a  iiioiieer.  Jk-  \va.-  a  native 
of  \'ir,c;inia,  Iiavinu-  lieen  liorn  in  Brunswiek  I'ounly 
on  June  ^'S.  IM"^.  lie  visited  tlie  Wataujia  and  Boone's 
Creek  settlement  in  l'ia>t  Tenju'->ee  in  liiO.  After 
liaviiig  made  a  ei-i-p  there  tliiou^ii'h  ;!s.-i.-tance  rendered 
hy  a  settler  named  Jloneycut.  lie  returned  to  Xorth 
Carolina.  The  next  year.  Iienvever.  he  a.iz'ain  joined  the 
A\'atau^2'a  colony  a.ud  Iwok  iui  actiw  intei'e-t  in  tlie 
formatien  of  l\\(-  A\'atauir;i  as^-oeiation  ;ind  in  its  >uh- 
sequent  rdl'a.irs.  ddiis  a-^oeialion  was  nrel'aJdy  feiTned 
in  Til".',  as  .-talrd.  and  \\;ts  the  first  ^elieme  of  ^L;-()vern- 
ment  e\'er  devi>ed  fnr  the  pco])le  oeeupyin^a'  Tennessee 
soil. 

As  early  a.-  K  .  "^  Eoficrtson  v>"as  fonnd  hy  his  fellow- 

sei  tiers   to   ])()sse>s   a.  judf^'inent    vrhirh    they   eould    relv 

n|i(iii.      In   that   year  a   line   was   run   hL'tween   A'ir^ii'iiha 

and  the  Cherokee  huntin.L;-  .u'l'ounds.  and  it  left  the  AVa- 

(50) 


Jam]-;s  Koi5j-;kt.son. 


51 


lau^uaiis  wiihin  ihc  hoiiiularirs  of  ilic  lailcr,  uiicreupini 
il  was  (k'ti(k'(l  lo  iiiakf  an  cITurl  lo  scciiix'  a  lease  from 
llu'  liuiiaus.  Jl  \\a-  .-ii  iircd  by  linhrilson  and  Jolm 
liouii.  Al'lci'  llii>  u  a.-  acc(iiii|ilislic(l  the  fveiiL  \va.-  cel- 
flti-aU'(l  liy  _u\  iiiiia.-lics  and  latrs  liv  ihc  whiles  and 
Indians:  l»ul  in  llu'  evening  nf  llie  day  of  the  e.delira- 
lidii  one  of  ihe  Indiaiir-  \'.a.~  -lain  hv  some  men  Fi'oni 
Wolf's  Hill.  \'ir,u'inia,  who  w  (  I'e  lakin,*:  pai1  in  ih.e  ex- 
ereises.  'J'he  nuii'der  was  imjiolitie  as  well  as  wanlon, 
and  would  have  lu'odueed  dii'e  re'laliatoi'v  re.-ulls  had 
it  not  heeu  for  IJuhert-on.  who  made  a  journey  lo  the 
eliief  t«.)wn  of  ilie  Indians,  h  hundred  and  fifty  nnles 
away,  lo  aj>|)ease  them  hy  a  ])i-omi.-e  to  |iunisli  the  mur- 
derer or  inurdei'ers  if  to  he  found.  The  courage 
eviueed  in  this  instance  and  on  sid)se<|uent  occasions 
was  pi-ohahly  I'ememhered  when  the  attack  was  a  few- 
years  afterwards  made  on  W'atauua  l'"ort  hy  Old  Al^ra- 
liam.  and  in.-ured  his  command  nf  that  post.  Ilis  he- 
roic- defense  thereof  is  nieiitioiUMl  in  a  previous  cdiap- 
ter. 

Some  time  in  l^ls  \\v  decided  to  emij^rate  to  a  |)oint 
on  the  C'umherland  river,  and  with  a  party  of  v\^A\t 
set  out  through  Cumherlaud  (iap.  jinally  reacliinir  th<' 
section  wliei-e  Nashville  stands.  In  tlii-  new  enterpri-c 
lie  acted  in  conjunction  witli  dohn  Donelson.  df  \'ir- 
pinia.  afterwards  tlu'  fatherdndaw  of  Andrew  Jackson. 

|-'rom  his  arri\al  at  the  (ireat  Salt  Lick  in  K^H, 
l\ol)ertson  naturally  took  the  leadei^hip.  devisini:'  a 
form  of  u-overnment    for    the  settlers    in    conjuiU'tion 


52  Till':  Backward  Trail. 

with  Col.  liicliard  Henderson  (who  really  instigated 
the  Cumberland  settlenienlj,  eneouraying  them 
through  all  their  difiiculties.  lighting  and  planning 
and  Using  di}iloniaey  as  oeeasiun.  required,  and  justly 
earning  his  title  of  father  of  ^liddle  Tennessee. 

lieferenee  is  made  elsew  liei-e  to  the  dillieulties  be- 
setting the  settlers  during  their  first  months  on  the 
Cundterland.  Though  (juiie  a  nujuber  of  emigrants 
had  arrived,  and  Xashborough.  Union,  (Jasper's,  iJh  d- 
soe's,  Asher"s,  Freeland's  and  j-'aton".-  forts  luid  been 
ereeled.  tlie  whites  were  deeim;ited  Ijy  marauding  In- 
dians; Iiearts  were  burdened  by  news  of  the  inassacre 
of  the  lionfi'oe  settlement,  e.-tablidied  near  the  site  of 
Clarksville  by  ]\roses  Iienfi'i»e  in  the  year  IT  19;  g-ame 
was  di'iven  out  of  tlie  immediate  iK'ighborhood;  food 
had  beeome  so  searee  tliat  wriiuius  and  hickorynuts 
had  to  Ije  saved  by  tlie  cart  load  as  winter  edil)les, 
\\hile  tlie  >up]']y  of  jiowdcr  vras  runidng  short.  The 
idea  of  leaving  tlieir  homes  began,  to  liiul  lodgment  in 
the  minds  of  the  settlers.  During  the  crisis  Robertson 
agreed  if  tluv  woUi<l  remain  on  the  Cumberland,  to 
go  where  ammuuiiion  ('ould  bo  had  r.iul  obtain  a  sup- 
])ly.  and  this  he  diil — ran  the  gauntlet,  as  one  historian 
]Kuiinent]y   r)bserves. 

On  iiis  return  from  his  jurilous  jonrney  on  January 
!•"),  KSl.  he  stop])ed  fr)r  tlie  night  at  Vort  I-'reelaud. 
and  was  llierebv  instrument;il  in  saving  its  inmates 
from  massaere.  Tli;d  night  the  settlers  had  been  care- 
less onoucrh  to  retire  witliout  aiipointinsi  a  a'uard.     The 


A  XuiiiT  Attack.  53 

nJ^iil  was  (jokl  ancl  clear,  and  tin-  wiiilcr  moon  ilircw 
a  niajillo  ovi'i"  the  sU'cpiii^"  low  la.iids  and  around  the 
ni^L't;c'd  sliouldci's  of  the  surroiindinu'  hills.  The  quiet- 
ude of  a  dreani-seene  hovered  over  the  hloekhou.-es; 
the  rough  palisades  runinnu-  fioni  house  lo  hou>e  were 
transformed  into  a  strange  lieautv,  frost-eovered  and 
seiiilillating.  J. ike  shifting  silhouettes,  a.  hand  of  In- 
dians a.|>])roa(lied.  hleiiding  with  the  shadows  of  the 
pickets  and  cahlns.  .V  half  a  hundi-ed  gathered,  and 
crej)!  closer  to  the  gate,  which  was  secured  with  a 
chain.  One  of  the  boldest  reached  the  clasp,  but  in 
loosening  it  caused  such  a  noise,  despite  hi?  careful- 
ness, as  to  awaken  liohertson.  S|>i'inging  from  his  bed, 
tho  i)ioneer  gave  the  cry  of  "Indians!""  k  was  none 
too  soon,  for  as  he  gave  the  warning  tlie  savages  were 
crowding  thi-ough  the  gati".  The  settkrs  seized  their 
guns  and  began  tiring  into  the  ranks  of  the  intruders, 
wlio  retreated,  tiring  as  they  ran,  when  the  entrance 
was  again  secured.  A  negro  belonging  to  lJol)ertson 
was  killed,  but  no  other  harm  was  sustained. 

The  distress  of  the  settlers  continued,  despite  the 
elTorts  of  ilu_'  more  energetic  and  courageous  to  ame- 
liorate their  troubles.  The  Indians  had  adopted  the 
policy  of  di'iving  the  game  from  tlu^  country,  prosecut- 
ing it  vigorously  through  tho  fall  of  KSO  and  the  win- 
ter of  1T81.  The  stationers  vere  therefore  forced  to  go 
to  distant  sections  to  ]»ro(-ure  food,  encountering  many 
dangers.  On  one  occasion  a  ]iarty  of  twenty  men  went 
lip  Caney  Fork  ns  high  as  Flynn's  creek,  and  after  be- 


54  TiiK  Backward  Trail. 

ing  out  only  a  few  days  relumed  wiili  one  hundred  and 
live  bears,  seventy-live   Inid'alos   and  eighty   odd   deer. 

As  James  liobertson  luid  Ijeen  pr(jving  liis  wortlii- 
ness  to  lead,  his  wile  soon  showed  that  slie  was  a  help- 
meet indeed,  and  a  heroine.  It  is  said  Ijy  Putnam  and 
Gilmore  that  it  was  her  lorethouglit  and  eourage  that 
figured  hiaterially  in  liie  settlers'  vietoiy  iu  the  "Jjat- 
tle  of  the  Bluirs,""  whieh  assuj'ed,  in  1^81,  the  contin- 
uance of  the  settlements.  That  liaiile,  though  few  were 
involved  on  either  side,  wa.s  c^ne  of  the  really  thrilling 
events  of  soutliwestern  border  warfare. 

The  fort  at  Xashboroiigh  wavS  erected  upon  the  bluff 
between  the  southeast  corner  of  the  square  and  S]»ri ng 
street  (so  as  to  include  a  bold  spi'ing  ^\■llicll  then  is.-ued 
from  that  point).  It  wa.s  a  log  building  two  stories 
high,  with  p'ortholes  and  lookout  sialicjns.  Other  log 
houses  Wi^re  near  it,  and  all  enclosed  with  ])alisades  or 
pickets  lirmly  set  in  the  earth,  having  the  uj)}ier  ends 
shar])ened.  There  Avas  one  large  euiraiice.  wirh  the 
lookout  station  above  for  the  guard,  broni  this  point 
the  country  could  be  viewed  fm-  miles  in  two  direc- 
tions, but  the  vievr  was  ol)structed  to  the  west  and 
southwest  by  a  thick  f<jrest  of  cedar  trees,  beneath 
which  there  was  a  dense  growth  of  pi-ivet  bushes. 
I'pon  lands  with  deeper  soil  and  less  roclc.  instead  of 
cedar  and  privet,  there  vrere  forest  trees  of  large  growth, 
and  ihick  canebrakes.  The  country  was  well  suited  to 
a  skulking  enemy  and  for  ambushing  purposes. 


Battlk  of  thk  Bi.ri'i's.  55 

On  tlic  iii<:ht  of  A])ril  1,  K<S1,  or  eaily  in  llie  nioiii- 
ing  of  A[>ril  2,  a  large  botly  ol'  (.'lici-oktc-  vunliiiTil  m  ar 
lliu  iorl  of  Xathljorouiiii  and  loiiiiril  an  aJiilni.-li.  Af- 
ter (layli<:lit  ihree  liueks  lireil  al  die  fori  and  lan  (j|f. 
^'ineleen  uf  the  selllers  Jiiounied  their  hoi'.-u.-  and, 
rushing'  out.  pursued  iheni.  (iihnoi'e  sa\s  thai  lioljei'l- 
son  was  ainoiiL;'  the  nuiuher  of  juw.-uers.  The  histo- 
rians are  generally  silent  on  this  point.  If  he  \va~  of 
tlu'  nuniher  his  u>ual  eaulioii  sei'Uii'd  to  have  de.-'i'ird 
him  on  that  oeea>ion. 

When  iho  \\lul(s  liad  gone  a  eoiisideial)le  dislanec 
from  the  foi't.  rea.eliing  a  hraneh.  they  tlii-eovercd  In- 
dians in  the  ereek  and  in  tlie  ncarlty  undci'hi-u-li.  The 
latter  arose  and  fired  a  Volley  at  the  hoi'-cmen.  who  dis- 
mounted to  give  them  hattle.  A  niimlMT  df  the  v.hites 
wei'e  killed — I'eter  (iill.  Alexandei'  lluehanaii.  (Jeoi'go 
Kennedy.  Zaehariah  AA'liite  aiel  Caii!.  Lripri'-.  and 
James  ^lanifee.  .Joseph  ?i[o(  nshaw  ;ind  Isaac  Lucas 
were  v.oinided. 

Presently  anoilp'r  hody  of  sr.vagi's  wrre  di-eovered. 
They  were  hid  in  ihe  hnish  and  cedars,  and  wei'e  <'vi- 
dently  intending  to  ru-h  into  ijic  fort  in  the  i-cai-  of 
tlie  condiatants.  lUit  the  horses  of  the  sen!cr<  liro!-:e 
loose  wlicu  the  fii'ing  was  going  on.  and  a  nundici-  of 
the  Indians  went  in  jmrsnit  of  ihein.  while  the  wliiies, 
pcc'ing  tliat  they  wei-e  hcing  (ut  oif.  altcm]itcd  t')  re- 
gain tlic  fort.  Would  thev  sueeeed?  The  chaiu-es 
were  certainly  for  a  jifiMiul  against  them.  Their  lioi'-es 
were  jronc:  tlic  Indians   were   swarminsi  around   them 


56  The  Backward  Trail. 

in  overwhehiiing  numbers;  taken  by  surprise,  the  set- 
tlers were  badly  denioralized. 

Meanwhile  those  who  were  left  at  the  fort  were  nat- 
urally in  a  state  of  the  greatest  anxiety.  They  could 
not  see  those  who  had  giuie  out  to  battle,  but  their 
riderless  horses,  dashing  by  the  fort,  led  them  to  be- 
lieve the  nineteen  had  Ijeen  killed  or  en})tured.  The 
fort,  they  thought,  would  next  be  attacked,  and  they 
resolved  to  sell  their  lives  dearly.  Even  the  women 
took  guns  and  axes  to  assist  in  repelling  the  expected 
assault. 

]\Irs.  Iiobertson  ha])pened  to  think  of  the  dogs  in  the 
fort,  which  were  yelping  and  endeavoring  to  get  out. 
The  animals  had  been  trained  to  liate  the  Indians. 
Abo  Castleman,  one  of  the  first  settlers,  had  a  dog 
named  lied  fJill.  which  would  leave  the  trail  of  a  1)ear 
or  other  wild  animal  to  follow  that  of  an  Indian.  Why 
not  turn  the  raviiig  ])ack  outside  in  this  lionr  of  ex- 
tremity? Acting  on  tlic  im])ulsc,  ]\Irs.  Iiobertson  or- 
dered the  gate  o])ene(b  Tlie  dogs  rushed  ihi'ough  the 
o])en,  over  the  eminences,  and  made  such  a  fierce  at- 
tac-k'  (m  the  Indians,  whose  line  had  not  yet  Ixen 
broken,  tliat  they  were  comj^telled  to  defend  themselves 
fi'om  the  canine  foe  instead  of  endeavoring  to  capture 
or  kill  the  whites.  Tlu'U  those  left  alive  of  the  latter, 
noting  the  diversion,  and  taking  advantage  of  it,  made 
for  tlie  fort,  all  but  two  reaching  it  in  safety.  These 
two  were  I^aac  Tucas  and  t^lv.'ard  Swanson.  The  for- 
mer had  his  thigh  broken  by  a  ball,  and  was  left  by  his 


Result  ok  thk  Battle.  57 

comrades.  The  Indians  wanted  his  scalp,  and  .some 
of  iheni  ran  Inward  him.  ile  killed  the  (jne  nearest, 
and  continued  dragging-  hiniseli'  tcnvard  the  station. 
Otiier  savages  attempted  to  reach  him,  hut  the  station- 
ers kept  u[)  such  a  ijrisk  lli'e  upon  them  that  the  l^rave 
fellow  linally  reached  the  gate  and  was  taken  in. 

Swanson,  in  retreating  toward  the  fort,  wa*  pur- 
sued hy  an  India]),  who  placed  his  gun  against  him,  at- 
tempting to  fire;  the  gun  only  sna])ped.  Swanson 
grasjted  the  weajton.  twisting  it  to  one  side  and  spilling 
tlie  priming  from  the  ])an.  The  Indian  then  struck 
him  with  the  gun  harrel;  he  then  delivered  a  second 
blow,  this  time  with  the  stock.  This  knocked  Swan- 
son down  on  all  fours.  John  IJuchanan,  seeing  Swan- 
son's  situation,  ran  to  his  relief,  shooting  at  the  In- 
dian. The  latter  retired  to  a  stumj),  and  Swanson  and 
Buchanan  nuide  their  escape. 

This  hattle  ]»ractically  decided  the  fate  of  the  Cum- 
herland  settlements.  The  assailants  were  completely 
discomfited. 

That  night  another  party  of  Indians  came  near  the 
fort  and  fired  ii])on  it.  hut  a  swivel.  loade<l  with  gTavel 
and  pieces  of  pots,  was  discharged  at  them  and  they 
withdrew. 

James  Eohertson  had  been  made  colonel,  which 
gave  him  command  of  the  military  equipment  of  the 
various  stations.  In  KS.3  ho  was  elected  a  member  of 
the  Cleneral  Assemltlv  of  Xnrth  Carolina,  and  it  was 
after    his  return    to  Xashborough  from    his  duties  as 


58  The  Backward  Trail. 

representative  at  Tarljoroitgh;,  that  he  found  the  condi- 
tions about  a^  desperate  as  they  liad  heeu  for  many 
months;  children  were  lulled  and  "chopped'"  by  small 
prowling  bands  of  savages;  men  were  shot  from  am- 
bush and  their  Ijodics  split,  in  May,  1787^  Mark,  a 
brother  of  Col.  liobertson,  was  killed.  Those  outrages 
were  traced  to  Indians  living  near  the  ^ilusele  Shoals, 
in  the  Tennessee  river,  and  lajbertsun  resolved  at  last 
to  invade  their  relreals.  Two  friendly  Chiekasaws, 
one  of  them  known  as  Toka,  offered  to  Ijeeome  guides, 
and  were  accepted. 

A  force  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  men  was  gath- 
ered and  placed  under  Col.  Ilobert.-im's  eouimand.  In 
addition  to  this,  some  Ijoats  containing  provisi(jn.-  were 
sent  around,  these  Ijcing  commanded  Ijy  David  ilay. 

Tlie  march  was  made  as  rapidly  as  possible,  and  late 
one  evening  the  force  stopped  witliin  hearing  of  the 
rapids.  (';;in])flres  were  made,  supper  was  })re|)ared 
and  eaten,  an.d  tlie  1)and  of  avengers,  witli  tlu/ir  in- 
trepid leader,  spreaxl  their  buffalo  vuhv<  and  blankets 
on  the  ground,  and  in  groups  conversed  of  tlie  topic 
uppermost  in  tlieir  minds — tlie  Indians  a.nd  their  dej)- 
redations.  Tlie  roar  of  the  distant  falls  was  juellowed 
into  tones  low  and  soft  as  the  bass  notes  of  some  vast 
musical  instrument  jdaycd  by  unsem  fingers;  wild  ani- 
nuds,  atti'acted  by  tlie  aroma  fi-(;m  tlu'  cam]\  ]u-owlod 
among  the  underlunish  at  a  safe  distance  from  the 
ligbt;  the  fragrance  of  wild  flowers,  bruised  bv  sDmo 
passing  hoof,  came  in  u})on  the  l)reeze  ever  and  anon; 


Rkconnoissanck.  59 

and  aIx)VO  all,  the  stars  twinkled  like  ilic  caiiiplii'es  ul' 
iiuiuads  in  the  uj>[)it  dur-urt. 

The  ni^ht  passed  uitlioui  an  attack  from  the  In- 
dians. Were  they  unauai'e  uf  the  a[)])r(nicli  of  the 
whitest  At  dawn  the  troops  were  mounted  a.Jid  soon 
on  the  mareh;  and  hy  nooii  had  reac!ie(l  the  river. 
\\'hile  spies  were  sent  out  to  seai'eli  for  the  path  whieh 
the  Indian  ^uuides  said  led  to  a  crossiiit;',  the  main  hody 
sought   t'onceahnent    until    inidit. 

'Idle  Indian  town  they  intended  attaekin,<r  lay  near 
a  large  spring,  where  the  town  of  Tuseinnhia.  Ala., 
now  stands.  It  was  on  the  farther  side  of  the  stream, 
the  Creeks  and  Cherokees  oecupying  that  side  of  the 
Tennessee.  The  inhaliilants  of  the  village  were  mostly 
Creeks,  and  a  luoi'e  (h'spei'ate  set  eould  not  have  heen 
found   among  all    the   trihes. 

The  spies,  in  their  reeonnoitering,  discovered  some 
savagx's  on  the  opposite  haid-;.  api»arently  on  the  look- 
out foi"  the  invading  jiarty;  for  they  passed  about  cau- 
tiously from  tree  to  ti'ce  in  a  stooping  jxisture.  After 
awhile  they  entered  a  canoe,  and  ]»addled  it  into  the 
river  some  distance:  then,  evidently  susjiecting  no  foes 
near,  they  plunged  into  the  watei"  for  a  hath  and  swim, 
finally  returning  to  the  hank  and  (hsa]i]iearing  in  the 
cane.  Cajvt.  Thiins.  with  a  P([uad  of  fifteen  men.  had 
heen  ordered  ti]»  the  river  to  look  for  Indians  and  a 
crossing  ])lnc(\  hut  making  no  (hscoveries,  he  returned 
ahout  sun-el   lo  the  main  hody. 

Col.  Robertson  resolved  to  attempt  a  crossing  at  da.y- 


6o  The  Backward  Trail. 

light  the  next  morning  at  the  point  where  the  Indians 
had  been  seen  bathing,  some  of  the  scouts  proposing 
to  swim  over  and  bring  back  tlie  canoe  whicli  had  been 
used  by  the  savages.  These  scouts,  while  on  the  mis- 
sion for  the  canoe,  had  also  gone  out  and  examined 
some  nearby  cabins  and  found  them  deserted. 

xVfter  patching  up  the  Ijoat  the  troops  finally  suc- 
ceeded in  crossing,  some  therein,  others  clinging  to  tbe 
sides,  while  a  numljer  swam  upon  or  beside  tlieir 
horses,  "^^'ith  the  exception  of  those  who  had  ])assed 
over  in  the  boat,""  Putnam  declares,  ''most  of  tliem  were 
there  with  their  clothes  perfectly  wet.  Some  had  put 
their  clothes  in  their  hats  or  tied  them  around  their 
heads  and  hats,  hoping  thus  to  keep  them  dry.  But 
during  the  time  allowed  for  their  horses  to  eat  some 
corn,  and  for  the  men  to  breakfast  off  jerked  venison 
and  parched  corn,  the  wet  clothes  were  hung  upon  tbe 
bushes  to  dry.  An  army  in  dishabille!  An  invading 
army  within  six  miles  of  the  enemy's  stronghold,  and 
on  the  enemy's  side  of  that  broad  river!  Tlicy  tbem- 
selves  described  their  whole  appearance  as  most  laugh- 
able." 

As  they  prepared  to  move  a  considerable  shower 
came  up.  making  the  journey  through  the  woods  some- 
what disagreeable.  The  path  through  the  t)arrens, 
Toka,  the  guide,  said,  led  to  the  cornfields  near  the 
Indian  town.  Keacbing  the  fields,  and  then  Cold  Wa- 
ter Creek,  they  perceived  the  town  on  the  opposite 
side.     The  Chickasaws  suirgested  that  upon  discover- 


A  Day  of  Slaugiitick. 


6i 


iii^-  llu'iii  [Im  Indians  would  llee  to  llieir  hcjats  at  tlie 
inuuUi  uf  ihc  creek,  and  (.'apt.  Jiain.s  ua.s  ordered  wilh 
a  few  men  to  ink'reejU  Uie  I'ncniy  in  ease  this  predic- 
tion slujuld  prove  true,  'i'lic  ]iiain  l)ody  then  ^Iruck  a 
douliIe-([iiick,  cj-osscd  llie  ci'eek  and  wei'e  soini  in  the 
town.  .Many  (if  I  lie  inhaliitants  ilcd  prccipilately  to 
llu'ir  boats,  and  were  in  the  act  of  slio\in,i:'  oil  into  the 
river  when  the  nieii  uiuKr  ('a])t.  Jiains  J'ell  upon  the'in, 
and  the  work  of  shui^diter  hcgan — those  uiuler  liohert- 
soii  en<j,-a^i;in^-  as  soon  as  they  reached  the  scene. 
Twenty-six  JiKhans  were  killed  in  the  boats  and  the 
river.  Three  I'l'cnch  traders  and  a  white  wonum  were 
also  killed  and  one  or  two  Indian  women  captured. 
There  were  few  women  seen;  and  it  is  ,-ui'mi^ed  that 
Indians  like  those — thieves  and  murderers,  who  had 
collected  there — probably  bad.n(j  wives  and  children 
with  them. 

The  town  was  burned,  and  the  whites  cam[)ed  that 
ni^irht  near  the  ruins.  Next  morniii','-  they  beiran  their 
homt!wai(l  march.  ]-eaeliin,ti'  the  settlements  after  an  ab- 
sence of  nineteen  days,  and  without   the  loss  of  a  man. 

The  party  which  starte<l  by  water  niuler  Hay  wa.s 
less  successful.  ]\eacliinu-  the  moutl)  of  Duck  i-ivcr. 
one  of  tlie  boats  wa.«  fired  into  by  Iiulians  (-onceah'd 
on  the  baid\.  at  whicli  fire  Joseph  Keiifroe  was  killed 
and  Jolm  Top.  llu<ih  Ixoiran  and  l\dward  TIoLran  were 
wouiuled.  After  a  consultation  the  i)arty  concluded 
to  return  liome. 

"When  the  settlements    were  made  inti.i  a    teiTitorv, 


62  TiiK  Backward  rKAiL. 

and  William  JJlount  a|)])oinlt'd  Governor,  liobcrtson 
became  brigadier-general  of  the  Mero  District,  the 
name  now  given  to  the  Cumberland  settlements.  In 
II yi,  at  the  time  of  the  iiolston  Treaty,  he  visited  the 
Cherokee  nation,  seeking  to  dissiuule  ihem  from  fur- 
ther hostilities,  but  their  aggressions  were  but  tem- 
porarily stayed.  In  lll'-;^  tlie  Creeks  ]io})ed  to  throw 
the  Cundjcrland  people  olf  their  guard,  aiul  a  nundjer 
of  their  chiefs  visited  Gen.  Lol)ertson  at  Xashville  to 
smoke  the  pi|)e  of  peace.  A\'hile  he  reci-ived  tbem  cor- 
dially.he  was  not  deceived:  and  continued  to  strengthen 
the  juilitia.  The  inroads  of  the  savjiges  were  not  dis- 
continued, wJiich  testified  to  the  foresight  and  judg- 
ment of  Gen.  Iiobertson,  aliliougli  Guv.  IJlount  was 
often  led  to  believe  in  the  Indians'  })r()tests  of  friend- 
ship. These  aggfe>sions  drove  the  people  into  a  de- 
ternhnation  to  retaliate.  As  much  as  he  regarded  the 
ordei's  of  Gov.  Blount  to  pi'event  an  incui'sion  into  tlie 
enemy's  country.  ])alience  at  last  ceased  to  be  a  virtue; 
and  on  Septeudjcr  (i,  f?!)l.  lie  ordered  tlie  destruction 
of  some  of  the  Clierokee  towns.  The  point  of  attack 
was  the  hve  lower  towns  of  the  Chickamaugas — a  tribe 
of  tlie  Cherokees.  notoi'ious  above  all  the  Indians  for 
treachery,  hatred  of  tbe  whites  and  coui-age — of  which 
the  village  ofNickojac-k  had  tbe  gi'catest  notoriety. 
The  incursion,  known  as  the  Xickojack  lv\])editio!i. 
the  outcome  of  whi(-h  bi-oiight  (-ompai-ai ive  peace  t(,) 
the  settlers  of  Tentu'ssee.  will  be  treated  in  another 
chapter. 


IVNTI'.  RTAIN  I NC;    In  DI  ANS. 


63 


KuhcTtsoii  was  rt'jiriiiiaiitk'tl  scvcrclv  and  uiijii.slly 
for  this  (.liasliseiiu'iil  oJ'  the  Indians,  and  \va,<  so  much 
bounded  ihiTL'liy  that,  he  k'ndci'cd  his  resignali(jnj  Ijut 
nothing  inorc  came  of  the   mailer. 

Alter  (ieii.  Jioherlson  hail  cca.-ed  lo  acl  as  hrigaihez'- 
genei'al  of  .Mei'o  Disli'iel.  he  relaiiied  liis  olliee  of  Teni- 
poraiT  Agenl  lo  ihe  (■hicl\;i>a\\s  and  Choclaws;  and 
during  ihis  lime  was  often  annoyed  hy  \i>iling  In- 
dians who,  though  frieiully.  juiived  theii'  eajtacily  lu 
bore.  A  notice  of  one  of  ihe.-e  \i.~ils  may  mU  lie  unin- 
teresting in  this  slveleh.  In  January.  W.'O,  he  was  in- 
formed liy  C'olhert  and  other  Chickasaw  chiel's  lliat 
they,  with  sevei'al  warrioi's  and  a  nundjei'  of  women 
and  chihlren.  woidd   visit  Jiiiii  at   Xashvilh'. 

Tliey  arrived  promjiily.  antl  an  elToii  was  made  to 
make  them  enjoy  tliemselves.  Tlie  enleilainment  of 
a  hundred  liungi'y  Indians  was  necessai'ily  expensive, 
and  a  few  persons  conlrihuted  corn,  meal  and  meat, 
while  some  of  llie  cliiefs  and  tlieir  fanulies  were  lodged 
in  the  houses  of  the  cilizens.  On.  one  occasion  a  grand 
dinner  jiarty  was  gotten  np  hy  suljscriplion  to  do  honor 
to  '"(ieneral'"  C'olhert;  it  was  quite  an  aifair  for  that 
day.  licv.  'i'homas  ]'>.  Craighead  was  a  I'reshyterian 
minister  who  had  been  anumg  tlie  settlers  for  years, 
undergoing  all  the  vicissiliuUs  of  frontier  life  for  the 
sake  of  his  ]\[aker;  and  at  one  of  his  services  during 
their  sojourn  Colbert  and   his  stalT  were  attendants. 

The  entertainment  accorded  savage  guests  1)y  Cen. 
Rol)ertson  is  deseril)ed  l)v  Putnam:     "We   have   never 


64  The  Backward  Trail. 

heard  of  sucli  marked  and  flaueriug  aiu-niion.-  })aid 
to  these  more  than  half-naked  savages,  as  were 
sometimes  given  by  Gen.  Kobertson,  to  tame  their  sav- 
age natures  and  secure  their  good  will/""  he  narrates: 
"They  uniformly  called  him  "a  goud  nian;'  and  such  a 
scene  as  was  exhibited  at  the  last  C'liicka.saw  visit  to 
the  General  might  well  employ  the  skill  of  a  Hogarth. 
]jeneath  the  lofty  and  beautiful  maples  which  sur- 
rounded Gen.  Robertson's  station,  might  be  seen  a  va- 
riety of  the  copper-colored  race,  mostly  crouched  upon 
the  ground.  The  Ijcst  dressed  of  the  females  have  a 
sack  (not  overly  long,  yet  long  enough  to  hide  the 
strip  of  "Stroud"  or  baize  around  the  wai.-t  and  hipsj, 
with  moccasins  and  leggings,  ornamented  by  beads  and 
tinkling  bells;  and  across  tho  shoulders  a  dirty  blanket. 
The  hair  is  Ijraided  and  hangs  down  like  a  mandai'in"s. 
Such  was  the  attire  of  Jacsie  ]\Ioniac,  the  wife  of  'Gen- 
eral' Colljcrt.  tShe  had  around  her  a  full  re])resenta- 
tion  of  the  half-breed  general — the  parents'  ':-mall 
arms.'  ]S'ear  by  sat  .Molle-tulla,  the  tall  wife  of  the 
mountain  leader.  "Captain'  Piomingo,  wluun  General 
liobertson  had  in.-tructions  to  equip  with  clothing  and 
ornaments.  There  were  others,  the  l>ettcr-halves  of 
chiefs  and  warriors  of  great  })rotensions  and  little 
worth.  If  we  could  transfer  a}iother  group  of  Greeks, 
aiul  stand  or  seat  them  not  afar  olT.  and  such  as  (Jen. 
Ivobcrtson  not  long  before  entertained,  we  should  see 
the  partner  of  the  ^lad-dog  and  her  whe]])s.  the  Turkey 
and  her  Itrood.  the  Uanginu-  Maw.  and  all   that   set  of 


Robertson's  Diplomacy.  65 

gourmands.  And  now,  with  all  this  crew,  unwashed, 
uncombed,  uncluuled — and  uidiuiig,  treated  or  moving 
around  that  tall  and  sedate  jier.son,  mark  how  he  pats 
their  heads  and  smiles  at  their  recognition.  Who  else 
but  Cien.  liobertson  would  pause  in  such  a  group,  and, 
dij)])ing  his  linger  in  the  veiniiiion  which  tlie  s(juaw 
held  in  one  hand,  and  the  black  jiaiiit  in  the  Ijox, 
would  give  to  the  faces  of  these  not  naturally  ill -look- 
ing urchins  the  wrinkled  ap}>earance  of  a  inonkey,  the 
head  of  a  cat,  of  the  wily  fox  or  >ly  raccoon  I" 

This  treatment  of  the  Indians  liy  (ien.  Kohertson 
gives  us  a  key  to  his  character,  and  may  go  far  toward 
explaining  the  alleged  "intrigues"'  with  8|)a.in,  after- 
wards charged  against  him.  It  is  true  that  the  dii>lo- 
mat's  strength  and  success  may  lie  as  much  in  that 
suavity  which  pci'niits  the  other  party  to  draw  tlatter- 
ing  conclusions  from  the  diplomat's  actions  if  he 
wishes,  as  in  his  dignity  and  unyielding  attitude. 
While  having  no  admiration  for  tlie  Indians.  Gen. 
Robertson  had  too  much  judgment  to  let  them  1>clieve 
he  was  not  all  appreciation.  r>ent  on  jilac.iting  the 
Spanish  authorities  in  America  for  the  sake  of  the 
struggling  settlement  looking  to  him  for  guidance,  he 
did  n(»t  feel  him.-elf  at  fault  if  (iov.  ]\lero,  the  Spanish 
representative,  misconstrued  Ids  friendship.  He 
trusted  that  his  well-known  Americainsm.  a.-  well  as 
liis  rejuitation  for  jtrobity.  would  shield  him  from  the 
suspicion  of  desiring  to  for.-;ike  his  country  for  Spain — 
of  wishing  to  become  a  subject  of  Spain  while  seeking 
5 


66  The  Backward  Trail. 

so  strenuously  to  throw  off  the  yoke  of  England  that 
Tories  in  the  settlements  in  which  he  was  leader  were 
hardly  allowed  tlie  liberty  of  slaves.  The  extent  of  his 
sinning  in  the  correspondence  with  Mero  was  to  assure 
the  Spaniard  of  the  friendship  of  the  people  of  the 
struggling  Cumberland  settlements,  and  in  return  for 
this  he  hoped  to  win  Mero's  good  will  to  the  extent  of 
exercising  an  influence  for  peace  over  the  Creeks  and 
other  liostile  Indians. 

Gen.  Robertson  continued  to  serve  his  people  and 
the  government  a,bly  and  faithfully  for  many  years  af- 
ter the  State  was  admitted  into  the  Union,  and  died 
"in  harness."  His  death  occurred  at  the  Chickasaw 
Agency  Septem])er  1,  1811.  He  was  Iniried  there,  but 
in  1825  his  remains  were  removed  to  Nashville  and 
reinterred. 


CllAITKi;  VI] . 

AN    IXTKUESTIXG    UECOKD,    lOCi  Kill  KII    WITH    A    TKAGKDY 

ON  stoxe"s  hiv];h. 

Keference  has  \)vvn  made  to  the  erection  of  Don- 
elson's  station,  on  >Stone"s  river,  and  to  its  subsequent 
abandonment.  Also  to  the  I'aet  that  C'oL  John  Donel- 
son,  wlio  founded  the  station,  was  to  go  to  tlie  CundxT- 
hind  settlements  by  water,  embarking  at  Fort  ratrick 
lleiirv.  on  the  lldlston  river. 

Donelson's  boat  was  ealled  The  Adventure,  and  ear- 
ried  a  sail,  while  there  were  in  addition  several  canoes 
and  other  craft.  lie  ke})t  an  account  oi  his  tri}>, 
headed  '"Journal  of  a.  voyage  intended  l)y  God's  per- 
mission  in  the  good  boat  Adrcnlure,  from  Fort  Patrick 
Henry,  on  ilolston  river,  to  the  French  Salt  Springs, 
on  the  Cumberland  river,  kept  by  John  Donelson."  It 
has  ])een  preserved,  and  for  clearness  and  directness  is 
a  model,  and  (piite  interesting,  despite  its  lack  of  color. 
The  diary  is  given  entire: 

DereiiiJn'r  22.  K^9. — Took  our  departure  from  the 
fort  and  fell  down  the  river  to  the  mouth  of  Keedy 
creek,  where  we  were  stojtped  by  the  fall  of  water  and 
most  excessive  hard  frost:  and  after  much  delay  and 
many  dilTiculties.  we  arrived  at  the  mouth  of  Cloud's 
creek,  on  Sitndav  evening.  Feb.  20,  1T80,  where  we  lav 

'  (67) 


68  The  Backward  Trail. 

until  Sunday,  the  2^tli.  when  we  took  our  departure 
with  sundry  otlier  vessels  bound  for  the  same  voyage, 
and  on  the  same  day  struek  the  Poor  \'alley  Shoal, 
together  with  3Jr.  I:)oyd  and  Mr.  Iiounsifer,  on  whieh 
shoal  we  lay  that  afternoon  and  suceeeding  night  in 
jnuch  distress. 

Mdtiilcnj,  February  2'f\,  1I<S(). — In  the  morning,  the 
water  rising,  we  got  oil'  the  slioals  after  landing  thirty 
persons  to  ligliten  our  Ixnit.  In  attenij)ting  to  land  on 
an  ishmd,  recei\ed  some  damage,  and  lost  sundry  arti- 
cles, and  came  to  camp  on  the  south  slun'e,  where  we 
joined  sundry  other  vessels  also  l)ound  down. 

Tuesday,  2yth. — Proceeded  down  the  river  and  en- 
camped on  the  north  shore,  the  afternoon  and  day  fol- 
lowing proving  rainy. 

Wednesday,  Marelt  1st. — Proceeded  on.  and  en- 
camped on  the  nortli  sliore.  nothing  hapjiening  tliat 
day  very  remarkable. 

March  2. — Pain  about  half  the  day;  passed  tlie 
moutli  of  French  Prond  river,  aiu]  about  12  ()"ch)ck  ^Ir. 
Henry's  hoat.  being  (J.rawn  on  tlie  ])oint  of  an  island  hy 
force  of  tlie  ciii-i'ent.  was  sunk,  the  whole  cargo  much 
damaged,  and  tlie  crew's  lives  much  endangered,  which 
occasioned  the  wkiole  ileet  to  ]iut  on  shore,  and  to  go  to 
their  assistance,  hut  with  much  difliculty  haled  her 
out  and  raised  her.  in  oi'der  to  take  in  her  cargo  acain. 
The  same  afternoon  IJeuben  Harrison  went  out  a 
hunting,  and  did  not  return  that  ]iight.  though  nuiny 
guns  were  tired  to  fetch  him  in. 

Friday.  .'](!. — Kai'ly  in  the  morning  fired  a  four- 
])oun(lei'  for  the  lost  num.  sent  out  sundry  persons  to 
search  the  woods  for  him.  firing  many  guns  that  day 
and  tile  succeeding  lught.  but  all  without  success,  to 
the  gi'eat  gi'ief  dI  his  jiai'ents  and  fellow-travelers. 

Saturday,    ith. — Proceeded    on  our    voyage,    leaving 


A   DrIvAKV  VoYAGi-;.  69 

old  Mr.  IliUiisdii.  with  some  other  vessels,  to  make  fur- 
ther search  for  liis  lost  son.  Ahoiit  10  o'elock  the 
same  tiny  foiiiul  him  a  eoiisideralile  disiaiiee  dou  11  the 
liver,  where  Mr.  lU'ii  Uelew  took  him  (jii  ixjai'd  !us 
boat.  At  3  o'clock  p.  m.  ])assed  the  mouth  of  Ten- 
nessee river,  and  eanijied  on  the  south  shore,  about  ten 
miles  below  the  mouth  of  the  Tenne.-see. 

^'////(/r///,  ."^ilh. — Cast  olf  and  i^ot  under  way  before 
suni-ise;  12  o'clock  passed  mouth  of  Clinch;  at  o  o'clock 
p.  m.,  c-ame  U|)  with  the  Clinch  I'iver  company,  whom 
we  joined,  and  camped,  the  eveuinu-  piovinj^'  rainy. 

Miindtiij,  (itli.- — (Jot  under  way  bt'fore  sunrise,  the 
morning  proving  very  foggy;  many  of  the  licet  were 
much  lK)gged;  about  lU  o'clock  lay  by  for  them;  when 
collected,  proceeded  down;  cam}K'd  on  the  north  shore, 
where  Capt.  Ilutching's  negro  man  died,  being  much 
frosted  in  his  feet  and  legs,  of  winch  he  died. 

Tui'sdaij.  Ttli." — (iot  under  way  vei'y  early;  the  day 
proving  windy,  a  S.  S.  W..  and  the  river  l)eing  wide, 
occasioned  high  sea,  inasmuch  that  some  of  the 
snudler  crafts  were  in  danger:  tlu'i-efore  came  to  at  the 
ni)pennost  Chickamauga  town,  which  was  then  evac- 
uated, whei-e  we  lay  Ijy  that  afternoon  and  camped  that 
night.  A  child  was  l)orn  to  tlie  wife  of  E])liraim  Pey- 
ton. ]\Ir.  Peyton  has  gone  through  by  land  with  Capt. 
liobertson. 

Wt'diiesdoi/.  Sth. — Cast  off  at  K)  o'c-lock.  and  pro- 
ceeded down  to  an  Indian  village,  which  was  iidiabited, 
on  the  south  side  of  the  ■■•i\er.  'i'hcy  invite<l  ns  to 
''come  lishoi'c."  called  us  brothers,  and  showed  other 
sign.s  of  friendshi]t.  insomuch  that  Mr.  -lolni  Calfrey 
and  mv  son.  then  on  b(nird.  took  a  canoe,  which  I  had 
in  t(jw.  and  were  crossing  ov-r  to  them,  the  rest  of  the 
fleet  having  landed  on  the  o)iposite  shore.  After  they 
had  Li'one  some  distance,  a  b.alf-breed.  who  called  him- 


70  The  Backward  Trail. 

self  Arehy  Coody,  with  several  other  Indians,  jumped 
into  a  canoe,  met  them,  and  advised  them  to  return  to 
the  boat,  which  they  did,  togellier  witl;  Coody,  and 
several  canoes,  which  left  the  shore  and  followed  di- 
rect iy  after  him.  They  api)eared  to  Ije  friendly.  Af- 
ter distributing  some  presents  among  them,  with  which 
they  seemed  much  pleased,  we  observed  a  number  of 
Indians  on  the  other  side  embarking  in  their  canoes, 
armed  and  painted  with  red  and  black.  Coody  imme- 
diately made  signs  to  his  compani(jns.  ordering  them 
to  quit  the  boat,  which  they  did.  Idmself  and  amitber 
Indian  remaining  with  us,  and  telling  us  to  move  oil 
instantly.  We  had  not  gone  far  l)efore  we  discovered 
a  number  of  Indians  axmcd  and  painted,  proceeding 
down  the  river,  as  it  were  to  intercept  us.  Coody,  the 
half-breed,  and  his  companion,  sailed  with  us  for  some 
time,  and,  telling  us  that  we  had  passed  all  the  towns, 
and  out  of  danger,  left  us.  But  we  had  not  gone  far 
until  we  came  in  sight  of  another  town,  situated  like- 
wise on  the  south  side  of  the  river,  nearly  opposite  a 
small  island.  Here  they  again  invited  us  to  come  on 
shore,  called  us  Ijrothcrs.  and  deserving  the  boat's 
standing  off  for  the  opposite  channel,  told  us  that  their 
side  of  the  river  was  better  for  l;oats  to  ])as>.  And 
here  we  must  regn'et  the  unfortunate  death  of  young 
Mr.  Payne,  on  board  (_'a])t.  Tjlackmore's  boat,  who  was 
mortally  wounded  by  reason  of  the  boat  running  too 
near  the  northern  shore,  o])i)osite  the  town  whei'o  some 
of  the  enemy  lay  concealed,  and  the  moi-e  tragical  mis- 
fortune of  poor  Stuart,  his  lamily  and  friends,  to  the 
number  of  twenty-eight  persons.  This  man  had  em- 
barked with  us  for  the  western  country,  but  his  fam- 
ily being  diseased  with  the  smallpox,  it  was  agreed 
upon  1)etween  him  and  the  company  that  ho  should 
keep  at  some  distance  in  the  rear,  for  fear  of  the  iufec- 


Killed  or  Captured.  71 

tion  spreading:,  and  lie  was  warned  oaeli  nifrlit  when 
the  eneaui])iiiL'nt  slunihl  take  phiee  hy  the  sound  of  a 
horii.  After  we  luid  j)a.s.sed  the  town,  the  Indians  liav- 
in<^  now  collected  to  a  eonsiderahle  numhci-,  ohservini,' 
his  helpless  situation,  siii<j;led  oil"  from  the  rest  of  the 
licet,  intercepted  him,  killed  and  took  prisoners  the 
whole  crew,  to  the  <,a'eat  grief  of  the  whole  company, 
uncertain  how  soon  they  might  share  the  same  fate; 
their  cries  were  distinctly  lieard  Ijy  those  ])oats  in  tlie 
rear.  We  still  perceived  them  marching  down  the 
river  in  eonsiderahle  bodies,  keeping  pace  with  ns  until 
the  Cumberland  mountains  withdrew  them  from  our 
sight,  when  we  were  in  ho])es  we  had  escaped  them. 
We  are  now  arrived  at  the  place  called  Whirl,  or  Suck, 
where  the  river  is  compressed  within  less  than  half 
its  common  width  above,  by  the  Cumbei'land  moun- 
tains, which  jut  on  both  sides.  In  passing  through  tlie 
upper  part  of  these  narrows,  at  a  })lacc  descrilx'd  by 
Coody,  which  he  termed  the  "boiling  ])ot."  a  trivial  in- 
cident had  nearly  ruined  the  expedition.  One  of  the 
company,  John  Cotton,  who  was  moving  down  in  a 
large  canoe,  had  attached  it  to  Kobert  Cartwright's 
boat,  into  which  he  and  his  family  had  gone  for  safety. 
The  canoe  was  here  overturned,  and  the  little  cargo 
lost.  The  company,  pitying  his  distress,  concluded  to 
halt  and  assist  him  in  recovering  his  ])roperty.  They 
had  landed  on  the  northern  shore,  at  a  level  spot,  and 
were  going  up  to  the  place,  when  the  Indians,  to  our 
astonishment,  appeared  immediately  over  us  on  the  op- 
posite cliffs,  and  commenced  firing  down  upon  us. 
which  occasioned  a  precijutate  retreat  to  the  boats. 
We  immediately  moved  off.  The  Indians,  lining  the 
bluff  along,  continued  their  fire  from  the  heights  on 
our  boats  l)elow,  without  doing  any  other  injurv  than 
wounding  four  slightly.     Jennings'  l)oat  is  missiuir. 


72  The  Backward  Traii,. 

^\'e  have  m)\v  passed  the  WliirL  The  river  widens 
with  a  placid  and  gentle  current,  and  all  the  company 
ap])ear  to  he  in  safety,  except  the  family  of  Jonathan 
Jennings,  whose  hoat  ran  on  a  large  rock  jjrojecting 
out  from  the  northern  shore,  and  partly  immersed  in 
water,  immediately  at  the  Whirl,  where  we  were  com- 
pelled to  leave  them,  perhaps  to  he  slatightered  by 
their  merciless  enemies.  Continued  to  sail  on  that 
day.   and  floated   throughout   the   following   night. 

Tliursdaij,  9th. — Proceeded  on  otir  journey,  nothing 
happening  worthy  of  attention  to-day;  floated  on  un- 
til about  midniglit.  and  encamped  on  the  northern 
shore. 

FriJai/,  10th.- — This  morning  about  4  o'clock  we 
were  sur])rised  by  the  ciies  of,  "Help  ])Oor  Jennings!" 
at  some  distance  in  the  rear.  ITo  had  discovered  us 
by  our  fires,  and  came  ii])  in  tlic  most  wretched  con- 
dition, lie  states  that  as  soon  as  the  Indians  had  dis- 
covered his  situation,  they  turned  their  whole  atten- 
tion to  him.  and  ke])t  nj)  a  most  galling  fire  on  his  boat. 
He  ordered  his  wife,  a  son  nearly  grown,  a  yoting  man 
who  accompanied  them,  and  bis  two  negroes,  to  throw 
all  his  goods  into  the  river,  to  lighten  their  boat  for 
the  ])urpose  of  getting  her  olT,  himself  returning  their 
fire,  being  a  good  soldier  and  an  excellent  marksman. 
Bnt  before  tliey  liad  accomolisbed  their  object,  his  son, 
the  yonng  man  and  the  negro.  jum])ed  (jut  of  the  boat 
and  left  liim.  flo  tliinks  the  young  man  and  the  negro 
were  wounded.  l>eforo  thev  left  the  boat  ^Mrs.  Jen- 
nings, however,  and  the  negro  woman  succeeded  in 
unloading  the  boat.  Ijut  chiefly  by  the  exertions  of 
Mrs.  Jennings,  who  got  out  of  the  boat  and  shoved  her 
off,  but  came  near  falling  a  victim  to  her  intrepidity 
on  account  of  the  boat  starting  so  suddenly  as  soon  as 
loosened  from   the  rocks.     T.^pon   examination   he   ap- 


Muscle  Shoals.  73 

pears  to  have  made  a  wondeii'ul  escape,  for  liis  boat  i.s 
pierced  in  numberless  places  with  bullets.  It  is  lu  be 
remarked  that  Aii's.  I'eylon,  to  whom  was  born  an  in- 
fant the  ni^ht  beloi'i — which  was  unl'orlunately  killed 
in  the  hurry  and  contusion  consecpient  upon  such  a 
disaster — assisted  them,  being  i're(|uciiily  exjjosed  to 
wet  and  cold  then  and  afterwards,  and  that  her  health 
appears  to  be  gcjod  at  this  liuie,  and  1  think  and  hope 
she  will  do  v.ell.  Their  clothes  are  very  much  cut  with 
bullets,  esi)ecially  .Mrs.  Jennings'. 

Saturday,  11th. — (iot  under  way  after  having  dis- 
tributed the  family  of  ^Irs.  Jennings  in  the  other 
boats.  Kowed  on  quietly  that  day,  and  encamped  for 
the  night  on  the  northern  shore. 

Sunday,  12th. — Set  out,a.nd  after  a  fewhoui's'  sailing 
we  heard  the  crowing  of  cocks,  and  soon  came  within 
view  of  the  town;  here  they  (the  Indians)  fired  on  us 
again  without  doing  any  injury.  After  running  un- 
til about  10  o'clock,  came  in  sight  of  the  ]\iusclc 
Shoals.  Halted  on  the  nortliern  shore  at  the  ui)peT 
end  of  the  shoals,  in  order  to  search  for  the  signs  C'a])t. 
James  Kobertson  was  to  nuike  at  that  place.  He  set 
out  from  llolston  early  in  the  fall  of  1779,  and  was  to 
proceed  by  the  way  of  Kentucky  to  the  Big  Salt  Lick, 
on  Cumberland  I'iver.  with  several  others  in  com])any; 
was  to  come  across  from  the  lug  Salt  Lick  to  the  upper 
end  of  the  shoals,  there  to  make  signs  that  we  might 
know  he  had  l)een  there,  and  that  it  was  juMcticable 
foi-  us  to  ci'oss  by  land.  V>\\{  to  our  great  mortification 
we  can  find  none,  from  which  we  conclude  that  it 
would  not  be  prudent  to  make  the  attemjjt.  and  are 
determined,  knowing  ourselves  to  be  in  such  eminent 
danger,  to  pursue  our  jounu''y  down  the  river.  After 
trimming  our  boats  in  the  best  manner  ])0!^siblo,  we  ran 
through    the    shoals    before    night.        When    we    ap- 


74  The  Backward  Trail. 

proached  tlieni  they  had  a  dreadful  appearance  lo  those 
who  had  never  seen  them  before.  Tlie  \vater  being 
highj  made  a  terrible  roaring,  which  could  be  heard  at 
some  distance  among  the  driftwood  heaped  frightfully 
upon  the  points  of  the  islands,  the  current  running  in 
every  direction.  Here  we  did  not  know  how  soon  we 
should  be  dashed  to  pieces,  and  all  our  troubles  ended 
at  once.  Our  boats  frequently  dragged  on  the  bottom, 
and  appeared  constantly  in  danger  of  striking;  they 
warped  as  much  as  in  a  rough  sea.  But,  by  the  hand 
of  Providence,  we  are  now  preserved  from  this  danger 
also.  I  know  not  the  length  of  this  wonderful  shoal; 
it  had  been  represented  to  me  to  be  twenty-five  or 
thirty  miles;  if  so  we  must  have  descended  very  ra]v 
idly,  as  indeed  we  did.  for  we  pi'.sscd  it  in  about  three 
hours,  came  to  and  encamped  on  the  northern  shore, 
not  far  below  the  shoals,  for  the  night. 

Munday,  loth. — (iot  under  way  early  in  tiie  morn- 
ing and  made  a  good  run  that  day. 

2\iesday,  14th. — Set  out  early.  On  this  day  two 
hoats  approaching  too  near  the  shore,  were  fired 
on  by  the  Indians;  five  of  the  crew  were  wounded, 
but  not  dangerously.  Came  to  cam])  at  night  near  the 
mouth  of  a  creek.  After  kindling  fires  and  preparing 
for  rest,  the  com])any  were  alarmed  on  account  of  the 
incessant  barking  our  dogs  kept  up:  taking  it  for 
granted  the  Indians  were  attem])ting  to  sur]»rise  us.  wc 
retreated  preci[)itately  to  the  boats,  fell  down  the  ri\-er 
about  a  mile,  and  encain])ed  on  tlu'  other  shoi'e.  In  the 
morning  I  prevailed  on  Mr.  CalTrey  and  my  son  to  cross 
below  in  a  canoe,  and  return  to  the  jilaee.  wliicli  tli^v 
did.  and  f(.)und  an  African  negro  we  had  k'ft  in  a  hurrv. 
aslee]!  by  one  of  the  fires.  The  voyagers  then  returned 
and  collected  their  utensils,  which  thev  had  left. 

Wednesday,  l.'ith. — Cot    under    way  and    moved    on 


DlSAGRKKAHLE    SITUATION.  75 

pe.u  t'iiljly  (*n  the  ilvo  I'ollowii^g  days,  when  we  arrived 
al  llie  iiioiilli  of  the  Ti'iinessee  on  Mdinhiv.  "-JlJlh,  and 
huKud  (in  the  hiwer  j)()inl.  ininuMhatel}  (Hi  llie  hank  of 
the  Ohio.  Oui  situation  liere  is  Iiidy  disiigreealth-. 
The  livei'  is  vei'v  lii^uli  ami  the  euntiii  lapid;  our  hoals 
nut  eonstrueted  for  tlie  pui-pose  of  steiiiniin^'  a  I'apid 
stream,  our  ju'ovisions  exh.Uistt  il.  tiie  cri'W.s  ahii()>l 
worn  (hiu  11  with  hunger  and  faliuue,  and  know  not 
what  (hstanee  we  ha\e  to  '^(k  oi-  what  time  il  uiil  take 
us  to  our  phu-e  of  (k'stinatioii.  'I'lu'  seene  is  rendered 
still  moi'e  nirlancholy,  as  sevei'al  hoats  will  not  attempt 
to  asctMid  the  rapid  curi-ent.  Soiue  intend  to  descH'iid 
the  .Mississijipi  to  Xatehez;  others  are  hound  foi'  the 
Illinois — amonu'  the  rest  my  son-in-law  and  dauuhtcr. 
We  now  ji.irt.  pei'ha])S  to  meet  no  moie.  for  1  am  de- 
termined    to   jiui'sue     my    eonrse.    hap])en     what     will. 

Tucsddi/.  v'lsl. — Set  out,  and  on  this  (hiy  lahored 
very  hai'd.  and  i^ot  hut  a  little  way;  eam])ed  on  the 
south  hank  of  the  Ohio.  i'assed  the  two  followiuiX 
days  as  the  former,  sufl'ering  mueh  from  linnger  and 
fatiiznc. 

Friilfii/,  21th. — Ahoiit  3  o'cloek  came  to  the  mouth 
of  a  river  wlu'eh  I  thouglit  was  the  Cnmherland.  Some 
of  the  eompany  declared  it  could  not  he.  it  was  so 
nineh  smaller  than  was  expected.  ])Ut  I  never  heard 
of  any  river  runninp-  \u  between  the  Cnmherland  and 
Tennessee.  It  ajipeared  to  flow  with  a  gentle  cnri'ent. 
We  detei'uuned.  liowever,  to  make  the  ti'ial.  pushed  U]) 
some  distance,  and   encamjied   for   the  night. 

Sulurilai/.  2."ith. — To-dav  wc  are  much  encouraged: 
the  river  grows  wider;  the  current  is  very  gentle;  we 
are  now  convinced  it  is  the  C'lnnherland.  T  have  de- 
rived great  assistance  from  a  small  square  sail,  which 
was  fixed  np  on  the  day  we  left  tlu^  month  of  the  river, 
and    to    nrevent    anv    ill-efl'ects    from    sudd(m    flaws    of 


76  The  Backward  Trail. 

wind,  a  man  was  stationed  at  each  of  the  lower  corners 
of  the  sheet,  witli  directions  to  give  way  wlienever  u 
was  necessary. 

Sunday,  ^Gth. — (jot  under  way  early;  procured 
some  buffalo  meat;  though  poor,  it  was  |jaiaialj.e. 

Mundaij,  2Tth. — Set  out  again;  killed  a  swan,  which 
was  \ery  delicious. 

Tuesday,  28th. — Set  out  very  early  this  morning; 
killed  some  butl'alo. 

Wednesday,  29th. — Proceeded  up  the  river;  gathered 
some  herbs  on  the  liottcjms  of  Cundjerland,  which  some 
of  the  company  called  '"Shawnee  salad." 

Thursday,  30th. — Proceeded  on  our  voyage.  This 
day  we  killed  some  more  buffalo. 

Friday,  3fst. — Set  out  this  day.  and,  after  running 
some  distance,  met  with  Col.  Kichard  Henderson,  who 
was  running  the  line  between  \'irginia  and  North  Caro- 
lina. At  this  meeting  we  wijye  much  rejoiced.  He 
gave  ns  every  infornuuion  we  wanted,  and  further  in- 
formed us  that  he  had  )<urchased  a  quantity  of  corn  in 
Kentucky  to  Ijc  s]ii])p((l  at  the  balls  of  Oliio,  for  the 
use  of  the  Cumberland  settleiuent.  We  are  now  with- 
out bread,  and  are  com])elled  to  hunt  the  buffalo  to 
preserve  life.  A\'()rn  out  with  fatigue,  our  i)rogress  at 
present  is  slow.  Cami'cd  at  night  near  tlie  moutli  of 
a  little  river,  at  which  ]:l;i(e  and  below  there  is  a  hand- 
some bottom  of  rich  laud.  Here  v>e  found  a  pair  of 
hand  millstones,  set  uj)  for  grinding,  bail  a])peared  not 
to  have  been  usi  d  for  a  great  length  of  time.  Pro- 
ceeded on  C{uietly  until  April  12.  at  \vhi(-h  time  we 
came  to  the  mouth  of  a  little  river  running  in  on  the 
north  side,  bv  ^r<?cs  licaifroe  and  his  com])any  called 
Red  river,  up  whicli  they  intended  to  settle.  TTere 
thev  took  leave  of  us.  We  ]oroeeeded  up  Cumberland, 
nothing  hajipcning  material  until   the   23rd.   when   we 


Big  Salt  Lick.  77 

roaclit'd  the  lirst  settlt'iiu'iii,  011  tho  norlh  side  of  the 
river,  one  mile  and  a  lialT  below  the  Big  Salt  Liek,  and 
called  Katon's  station,  alter  a  man  of  that  name,  who, 
with  several  other  families,  eanie  through  Kentueky 
and  settled  there. 

Monday,  A[)ril  2ith. — This  day  we  arrived  at  our 
journey's  end  at  the  Jiig  Salt  Lick,  where  we  had  the 
])leasure  of  linding  rai)t.  Robertson  and  his  company. 
It  is  a  source  of  satisfaction  to  us  to  be  enabled  to  re- 
store to  liim  and  others  their  families  and  friends,  who 
were  entrusted  to  our  care,  and  who  some  time  since, 
perhaj)s,  despaired  of  ever  meeting  again.  Though 
our  pros}>ect9  at  present  are  dreary,  we  liave  found  a 
few  log  cabins  which  have  been  built  on  a  cedar  bluff 
above  the  lick  by  C'apt  Eobertson  and  his  company. 

As  a  result  of  the  capture  of  Stuart,  narrated  by  Col. 
])onelson.  the  smallpox  broke  out  among  the  Indians, 
killing  hundreds.  The  decimation  of  the  tribes  by  the 
disease,  as  well  as  the  cold  winters,  may  have  been  the 
cause  of  the  immunity  from  savage  oiUrages  which  the 
settlers  experienced  for  awhile  after  reaching  the  Cum- 
berland country. 

Soon  after  his  arrival  at  Xasliborough.  in  1T80,  Col. 
Donelson  began  to  search  for  a  suitable  location.  He 
])ai;sed  up  the  west  bank  of  the  Cuml)erland  to  the 
mouth  of  Stone's  river,  thence  up  that  stream  until 
he  reached  what  afterwards  became  widely  known  as 
the  Clover  ])ottom,  near  the  l)ridge.  on  the  Tjebanon 
and  X<;?livi]le  turnpike.  Here  be  removed  with  bis 
family  and  serA'ants  and  erected  some  shanties.  There 
was  a  great  deal  of  open  ground  in  the  bottoms,  cov- 


78  Thk  Backward  Traii^. 

ere  J  vviih  white  cluver;  and  ilie^e  oj)en  plaees  enabled 
him  to  get  in  liis  crop  of  cc^rn  in  a  very  seasonable 
time.  A  strong  fence  was  ULcded,  as  there  were  im- 
mense herds  of  buifalo  and  ticer  ranging  tlirough  the 
forest;  but  Donclsun's  expectation  was,  in  the  absence 
of  such  enclosures,  to  watch  and  frighten  them.  This 
place  was  called  lJonelso]i"s  station. 

Having  planted  his  corn  cai  the  sinitli  side  of  the 
river,  he  planted  some  cotton  on  the  north  side.  The 
crops  were  growing  raiiidly.  but  in  July  there  were 
such  heavy  rains  that  the  lotu  was  covei'ed  by  the 
river's  overflow.  In  addition  to  this  cahnnity.  the  In- 
dians had  already  ap])earcd  on  the  ('umljerland  and 
killed  some  of  the  settlers.  < 'ol.  Donelson  at  t)nce  de- 
cided to  remove  to  ]\lansker"s  station. 

He  hunted  out  other  lands  after  going  to  Maiisker's, 
but  it  was  too  late  to  cast  a  croj)  and  expect  it  to  mature 
before  frost.  After  awhile  he  decided  to  go  to  Ken- 
tncky,  but  before  going  he  ascertained  that,  his  com 
had  not  been  damaged  by  the  overflow  at  Douclson's. 
bnt  had  thrived  and  would  yield  alnmdantly.  lie  gcn- 
erouslv  proposed  to  divide  this  crop  with  the  settlers 
at  Xashborouglu  and  of  course  the  offer  was  accepted. 
A  day  was  agreed  npon  to  meet  and  gather  the  croji. 
The  companv  from  Xasldioroiigh  was  commanded  by 
Abel  Oower.  and  others  of  this  ])arty  were  A1)el  fiower. 
Jr.,  John  Randolph  Iiobcrtson.  and  seven  or  eight 
more  men.  white  and  black.  That  from  ]Mansker's  was 
under  the  direction  of  Capt.  John  Donelson,  second  son 
of  Col  Donelson. 


MoKK  Indian  Butciikriks.  79 

Tlicy  iisifiuk'tl  Sl()iu'"s  liver,  and,  fasU'iiiiig  their 
boats  to  llic  l)aiik,  began  gathering  it  and  carrying  it 
to  the  boats.  'Vlwy  were  engaged  several  days.  Dur- 
ing eaeh  night  \\\\v\\  they  were  in  eanij),  their  dogs 
]\v\){  up  an  iiUH'ssant  barking.  It  was  suggested  Ity 
some  of  the  jiarly  that  the  (h)gs  seented  IncHans  in  the 
surrounding  woods.  Others  thought  that  a.s  thei'e  was 
much  fresh  meat  in  the  camp,  and  oll'al  left  in  the 
woods  where  some  bulfah)  liad  l)een  killed,  the  wolves 
were  attracted  thereby,  and  the  dogs  were  barking  at 
them. 

During  the  last  night's  encampment  the  dogs  I'ushed 
out  furiously  in  every  direction  around  the  camps. 
There  were  savages  lurking  in  the  woods,  their  stealthy 
movements  undoidjtedly  influencing  the  dogs.  As 
used  as  they  were  to  the  ruses  of  tlie  Indians,  perhaps 
the  settlers  heai'd  but  did  not  heed  the  hooting  of  an 
owl  in  the  wood,  or  the  bleat  of  a  fawn,  as  the  In- 
dians signaled  each  other.  zVnd  with  culpable  care- 
lessness they  made  no  examination  next  morning 
for  Indian  signs,  Imt  hastened  the  comjtletion  of  their 
loads.  Ca{)t.  Donelson  crossed  the  river  and  began  to 
pick  the  cotton  north  of  the  river,  but  Capt.  Gower  re- 
fused to  be  delayed  by  trying  to  save  the  cotton,  and 
drifted  down  the  river.  He  had  not  gone  far,  however, 
before  the  Indians,  who  were  in  ambush  on  the  south 
side,  apparently  several  hundred  in  number,  opened 
fire  on  him  and  his  men.  Some  of  thorn  were  killed 
outright:  others  jumped  out  into  the  water  and  were 


8o  The  Backward  Trail. 

tomahawked.  The  fact  that  any  escaped  the  merciless 
fire  is  due  to  the  fact  that  because  of  the  scarcity  of 
powder,  the  Indians  always  loaded  lightly,  and  to  the 
further  fact  that  their  guns  were  of  a  poor  quality. 
The  larger  portion  of  the  savages,  too,  were  armed 
only  with  bows  and  arrows^  and  blow  guns  and  ar- 
rows. 

A  white  man  and  a  negro  escaped  to  the  woods;  an- 
other negro,  Jack  Civil,  surrendered  and  was  taken 
into  captivity.  The  two  who  escaped  wandered  for 
about  twent}'  hours,  but  finall\'  reached  the  fort  at 
Xashborougli.  John  I^andolpli  Eoljcrtson,  a  relative 
j)i  James  Roberlson,  was  among  the  slain. 

C'apt.  Donelson  could  see  tbc  attack  from  the  cot- 
ton patch  plainly.  A\'lien  tlie  Indiar.s  tired  lie  ran 
down  to  his  boat  and  secured  his  riile  and  ammunitinn. 
Eising  the  bank,  he  saw  the  Indians  in  jnirsuit  of  sev- 
eral men,  tliose  wlio  had  jumped  from  (lower's  boat. 
He  also  discovered  a  body  of  savages  making  their  way 
up  stream  opposite  his  boat.  Ho  fired  at  the  party, 
and  then  rushed  after  his  friends,  who  had  fled  into  the 
cane  on  hearing  the  firing  and  yelling  of  the  Indians. 

After  he  had  overtaken  the  fleeing  ])arty  they  agreed 
ii])on  the  direction  to  Ije  se[>arately  taken,  so  that  they 
might  assemble  the  next  day  upon  a  baiil<  of  the 
Cumberland,  aliove  the  month  of  Stone's  rixcr.  wlicre 
thev  would  attempt  to  cross  the  river  and  reach  ]\lans- 
kcr's  station.  They  then  separated,  to  ]U'cvent  making 
a  trail  that  would  lead  the  Indians. 


The  Kscapk.  8 1 

Having  traveled  till  sunset,  (apt.  Donel.son  dis- 
covered a  large  hiekoiT  tree  which  had  fallen  to  the 
ground,  its  leaves  not  yet  drojjped.  IJe  called  in  the 
wanderers,  and  they  huddled  there  all  uiyhl  in  the 
cold  Xovendjer  rain,  without  fire,  the  winds  whistling 
through  the  trees,  the  rain  dropping  from  the  .-liaken 
foliage,  the  memory  of  the  day's  tragedy  in  their 
minds,  and  the  wild  voices  of  the  wilderness  in  their 
cars. 

They  constnicted  a  rude  llc^at  tiie  next  morning  and 
attempted  to  cross  the  river,  hut  the  current  invarialjly 
drove  them  Lack;  then  Somerset,  a  failliful  servant  he^ 
longing  to  Capt.  Donelson,  volunteered  to  swim  the 
river  with  the  aid  of  a  hoi-^o  they  had  along,  and  ride 
to  the  station  and  solicit  aid.  The  party,  through  the 
liclp  of  friends  thus  brouglit,  finally  reached  the  sta- 
tion. l'\irthcr  discouraged,  Col.  Donelson  left  soon 
afterward  with  his  family  for  Kentucky. 

At  this  time  Col.  Donelson's  daughter.  Eachel.  who 
afterwards  became  the  wife  of  Andrew  Jackson,  was  a 
girl  not  yet  arrived  at  wonicinhood, 
6 


CIIAPTr-Tt  A'lII. 

TERRITORIAL      BLATTERS,       INCLUDING       SOME       OF      THE 

riBLic   ACTS   OF   avillia:m   RLOUNT. 

Xear  the  entrance  to  tlie  cemetery  of  the  First 
Presljyterian  Church  at  Knoxville,  there  is  a  })lain 
stone  slab  partially  hidden  by  the  rank  growth  of 
shrubber}',  and  containing  the  inscription:  '^'^William 
Blount.  Died  March  21,  1800.  Aged  53  years."'  There 
is  an  air  of  neglect  about  the  grave;  for  there  is  no 
one  to  care.  The  peoi)le  of  one  generation  easily  forget 
those  of  a  previous  one.  Those  who  knew  and  loved 
him  also  succumbed  to  the  clianges  and  ravages  which 
have  marked  a  century's  going. 

"The  mossy  marbles  rest 

On  the  lips  that  he  has  pressed 

In  their  bloom; 
And  the  names  he  loved  to  hear 
Have  been  carved  for  many  a  year 

On  the  tomb." 

Tlie  idler  pausing  to  glance  at  the  old  capitol  not 
far  off.  with  its  gray  walls  and  dingy  little  windows, 
may  for  a  moment  recall  the  name  and  career  of  this 
once  po|iular  man  whose  best  years  were  given  to  Ten- 
nessee, but  who  now  sleeps  beneath  the  plain  slab  with 
(82) 


A  Ni:\v  Tkrkitokv.  83 

lliu  siinjile  iiiscriplion.  lie  rccalhs  llu-  poiiod  in  which 
Jiluiint  was  ;Lr()Vt'ni()r.  his  fricndshij)  Ix'Tore  liiat  for  iha 
first  set'ikTs  oi'  tiic  Slate,  aiul  his  iitipcacljment  and  cx- 
pulsioii  from  the  I'niu-d  States  Senate;  and  then  mat- 
ters of  to-(hiy  e.xih'  the  thoughts  of  "old.  unhapi)}',  ^'^^" 
oil'  things,  and  battles  lony  a_iid."" 

On  I'"eI)ruaiT  2'),  17!HJ,  JJenj.  Hawkins  and  Samuel 
Johnston,  meinhers  of  the  I'niied  States  Senate  from 
Xorth  Carolina,  signed  the  deed  of  cession  which  made 
Tenuesset-  a  territoi'v  of  the  I'nited  States;  the  act  of 
acceptance  was  approved  April  2:  and  on  ^Tay  26,  11 OU. 
an  act  was  passed  for  its  govei-nment.  William  lilonnt. 
an  intimate  friend  of  Washington  and  a  popular  person 
among  the  people  of  the  new  territory,  was  appointed 
governor;  David  ('am})hell  liecame  judge;  and  Daniel 
Smith  was  made  secretary.  On  recommendation  of  the 
governor  John  Sevier  and  James  Rohertson  became 
I)rigadier-generals  of  A\'ashington  and  ^lero  Districts 
res])ectively.  Tlie  thi'ee  leading  features  of  Gov. 
l)lonni"s  administration,  as  one  writer  correctly  re- 
marks, were  the  contests  with  the  Indians,  the  gradual 
extinguishment  of  their  title  to  lands  in  the  limits  of 
the  })resent  State,  and  the  t^nal  triumph  of  America 
in  the  diplomatic  contests  with  Spain. 

]Ie  was,  in  addition  to  being  governor  of  the  ter- 
ritory, appointed  suj^erintendent  of  Indian  affairs,  em- 
bracing the  four  Southern  tribes,  the  Cherokee?.  Creeks, 
Choctaws  and  Chickasaws.  His  superintendemy  bor- 
dered upon  the  frontiers  of  Virginia,  Xorth  Carolina. 


84  Thk  Backward  Trail. 

South  Carolina,  (Jeorgia  and  Keiilucky  and  Tennessee, 
witliin  the  boundaries  of  wliieli  the  Soutliern  tribes 
resided  or  claimed  luinting  grounds.  There  were  con- 
stant collisi(jns  Ijetween  tho  whites  and  Indians;  and 
all  coni})laints  Ijctween  these  })arties  were  cognizaljle 
Ijy  and  made  to  him  for  redress.  His  duties  were 
therefore  arduous  as  well  as  delicate,  and  it  cannot  he 
gainsaid  that  in  these  affairs  he  dis|)layed  unusual  ad- 
ministrative capacity.  lie  was  decidedly  the  num  for 
the  position. 

In  his  efforts  to  hring  about  peace  between  the  In- 
dians and  the  United  States,  it  was  often  necessary  to 
meet  the  savages  in  treaty.  The  particulars  of  the  oc- 
currences of  one  of  tliese  meetings  are  given  hy  Ramsey. 
In  I'ldl  he  sent  throiigli  ]\[aj.  King  and  others  to  the 
(.'lierokee  chiefs  to  meet  him  in  a  i>eace  talk.  Tlie  })oint 
of  meeting  was  four  miles  below  the  confluence  of  the 
Ilolston  and  French  Broad  rivers.  Gov.  Blount  received 
and  entertained  there  the  chiefs  and  head  warriors  with 
marked  ceremonies.  It  may  he  inferred  that  his  part 
was  carried  out  perfectly,  when  we  reflect  that — to 
quote  Phelan — "lie  had  perhaps  caught  something  of 
the  Old  World  elegance  frf)m  the  foreign  element  which 
in  those  days  thronged  our  larger  cities,  and  was  him- 
self (in  occasions  as  stalely,  dignified,  and  courtly  as 
anv  of  those  wlio  frequented  the  aaJhus  of  Paris,  to 
pav  light  com])liments  to  ]\raflame  Pecamier  or  to  laugh 
at  the  saturnine  witticisms  of  the  Encyclopedists.*'  The 
treat  v  trround  was  on  the  site  of  Knoxville.     The  gov- 


Blount  and  thk  Indians.       85 

ernor  apjx'arcd  in  full  dress,  and  wore  a  sword  and 
military  hat,  trappings  wliich  impress  the  Indian  always. 
Ill'  remained  M'ated  near  liis  maripief,  under  the  tall 
trees  which  shaded  the  llolstdn.  J  lis  oilieers,  civil  and 
mililaiy,  stood  near,  uncovered  and  respectl'id.  Behind 
the  ollieials  in  gi'oiips  stood  the  citizens  and  strangers 
attracti'd  l)y  the  oc-casion;  the  soldiery  were  not  jiresent. 
James  .Vi-mslrong.  who  had  sei'U  .-ei\ice  in  Europe  and 
was  familiar  with  foreign  eti(piette.  pi'est'nted  each  In- 
dian to  the  governor  after  the  interpreter  had  intro- 
duced him  to  Armstrong.  Forty-one  Indians  were  in- 
troduced, in  order  according  to  their  age,  and  not  after 
their  rank.  The  delegati(.)n  was  very  large;  there  were 
twelve  hundred  Indians,  includiiig  women  and  children. 
The  warmers  were  decoi'aled  with  eagle  feathers  on 
their  heads  an<l  other  insignia,  hut  were  unarmed;  the 
older  cliiefs  and  wise  men  wore  the  common  Indian 
dress  only.  .Vftt'r  tlie  presentation  was  over,  the  gov- 
ernor o])ened  the  conference  through  the  interpreter; 
and  during  its  continuance  the  Indians  ohserved  their 
own  council-house  tactics — that  is  to  say,  the  si)eaker 
alone  standing,  while  his  colleagues  sat  upon  the  ground 
in  a  circle  around  liim  in  respectful  silence,  hut  strictly 
attentive. 

y>u[  despite  Gov.  l^)lount's  efi'orts  to  secure  ])eace,  his 
ohject  was  not  readily  attaineih  During  his  adminis- 
tration Cien.  Sevier,  Col.  Doherty.  C'ol.  Px'ard  and  others 
were  ke])t  husy  ]irotecting  the  eastern  settlements  from 
the    Indians,    and    in    attackimi"    and    destroviiiL^    their 


86  The  Backward  Trail. 

towns.  So  continuous  liad  the  depredations  become 
that  even  the  governor  lialf-way  decided  that  the  de- 
struction of  their  towns  alone  would  insure  immunity. 
In  1T9.3,  however,  a  series  of  outrages  Ijrought  about 
such  a  (-astigation  from  the  whites  as  promised  respite 
at  last.  John  Watts  and  Double  Head,  two  resolute 
Indian  chiefs,  at  the  head  of  a  body  of  a  thousand 
Cherokee  and  Creek  warriors,  decided  to  attack  Knox- 
ville,  then  a  very  small  station,  having  in  view,  per- 
haps, the  stores  at  that  place.  On  the  evening  of  Sep- 
tember 24,  they  crossed  the  Tennessee  river  below  tlie 
mouth  of  the  Ilolston.  The  army  presented  a  formida- 
ble appearance,  with  seven  hundred  ])ainted  Creeks,  one 
hundred  being  mounted,  and  three  hundred  Cherokees, 
each  individual  actuated  by  the  inost  savage  instincts. 
They  marched  all  night,  hoping  to  reach  Knoxville 
before  day.  but  a  delay  at  the  river  ])revent('d  this. 
The  delay.  Kamsey  says,  was  due  mainly  to  an  alter- 
cation between  the  leaders.  "Knoxville  being  ihe  ])rin- 
cipal  object  of  attack  and  pluiuler."  he  continues,  '"or- 
ders were  given  by  some  of  the  Creeks  to  ])r('ss  forward 
at  once,  and  not  delay  their  march  1)y  stoi)|)ing  to  dis- 
turlj  and  ])hmder  tlie  smaller  settlements.  Double 
Head  advised  a  different  ])oliey.  and  insisted  on  taking 
every  cabin  as  they  passed.  A  further  cause  of  delay 
was  the  rivalry  between  this  chief  and  Xnu.  cat-h  of 
■whom  asjjired  to  the  Icadershi])  of  tin*  expedition. 
T'pon  the  rpiestion.  'Shall  we  massac-rc  all  the  inhab- 
itants  of   Knoxville.    or   the   mow    onlv?'   these   savage 


KxoxviLLE  Threatened.  87 

wariioKs  diU'crt'd  in  o])ini()n;  ^'an  ndvisiiiir  leiiicncv  u> 
lilt'  uoim-ii  and  children.  Ik'Tore  the  plan  (jf  procedure 
was  adjusted,  the  iiighl  \va.<  so  far  spent  as  not  to  alhnv 
the  invaders  time  to  reach  Knoxville  before  daylight. 
J»y  dawn  they  were  in  a  i(^\v  niih'S  of  their  oljject  of 
attack,  and  were  marching  rapidly,  when  the  United 
States  troops  at  Knoxville,  as  was  their  custom,  lii'cd 
a  cannon  at  sunrise.  The  Indians  supposed  from  this 
that   they   were  expected,  and  ahajuloned   the  attack." 

When  they  halted,  they  es})ied  not  far  off  the  station 
of  Alexander  C'avet,  pi-otected  hy  three  gun-men  onlv. 
It  was  located  about  eight  miles  from  Jvnoxville.  The 
Indians  determined  to  attack  it.  The  three  inmates 
made  the  best  defense  j)0ssible,  killing  a  Creek  and  a 
Cherokee,  and  wounding  three  more.  Strange  to  say. 
the  Indians  were  held  at  bay  for  some  time  by  the 
S])irited  defense.  They  then  sent  15ob  Benge,  a  half- 
breed,  with  a  projiosal  that  if  the  station  were  sur- 
rendered, its  inmates  should  not  be  killed.  The  terms 
were  accej)ted.  As  the  whites  left  the  house,  they 
were  attacked  by  Double  Head  and  others,  and  weri' 
all  killed  and  mutilated  witli  the  exception  of  Alex- 
ander Cavet.  Jr..  a  lad.  He  was  sjxired  through  tlu' 
interposition  of  Watts,  only  to  be  killed  later  in  oiie 
of  the  Indian  towns.  It  should  he  stated  to  the  credit 
of  r)enge  that  he  did  all  in  his  power  to  save  the  victims 
after  tlieir  cajutulation. 

The  savage  horde  marched  in  the  direction  of  Clinch 
river,  and  Gen.  Sevier  l>egaii  at  once  making  prepara- 


88  The  Backward  Trail. 

tion?  to  invade  the  Indian  coiuitry.  His  army  with 
all  reinforcements  numbered  six  or  seven  liundred 
mounted  men.  Here,  too,  was  a  formidaljle  array  of 
lighting  men,  quite  as  much  so  as  that  which  appeared 
a  few  days  before  under  the  command  of  Watts  and 
])ouble  Head;  determined  mountaineers  with  their  long 
rifles  and  undaunted  spirits;  grizzled  Indian  flghters  and 
younger  men  who  could  Ije  as  certainly  depended  upon; 
earlier-day  Rough  Riders  who  had  long  before  discarded 
such  feelings  as  fear. 

Crossing  the  Little  Tennessee,  after  a  rapid  march 
they  readied  I^stimaula,  an  Indian  village,  where  they 
secured  a  sup})ly  of  grain  and  meat.  They  burned  the 
tdwn,  and  camped  in  its  immediate  vicinity  on  Esti- 
maula  river.  Sentries  were  placed  around  the  camp, 
f(jr  a  night  attack  was  exi)ected;  and  the  horses  were 
tethered  where  they  would  be  safest. 

The  men  lay  u])on  their  arms.  They  were  tired,  and 
knew  tlioy  had  vigilant  sentries;  and  were  gradually 
wrapped  in  slumber.  An  ominous  stillness  ])ervaded 
the  camp,  broken  ]iow  and  tlien  by  the  heavy  breathing 
(if  some  sleeper,  or  the  fretful  c^ry  of  one  of  the  Indian 
children  captured  at  Estimaula.  I're^enlly  the  sentries 
heard  a  sus])icious  movement;  Indians  were  a])proaching 
a  few  hundi'ed  yards  away,  in  a  slow.  uniff)r7n  manner. 
cree])ing  through  the  yellow  sage..  They  drew  nearer 
and  nearer — so  close,  that  the  cocking  of  their  gtms 
was  heard.     Firing,  the  sentries  retired;  and  the  In- 


Etowah  Taken.  89 

dians  fired  their  guns  also,  ai  tlie  same  lime  making 
the  woods  ring  witli  their  war-whoops. 

The  camp  was  aroused,  and  there  was  cnougli  con- 
fusion to  allow  the  escape  of  some  of  the  ca])tive  squaws 
and  children.  The  Indians  soon  withdrew.  The  next 
night,  Sevier  took  up  his  line  of  march  to  Etowtdi,  an 
Intliaii  town  situated  near  the  coniluence  of  the  E.to- 
wah  and  Coosa,  and  just  across  the  former  stream  from 
the  troops.  J>y  mistake  the  guides  led  the  whiles  to 
a  ferry  below  the  ford,  immediately  o})posite  the  town. 
Some  of  the  men  crossed  to  the  farther  hank,  but  the 
greater  part  pushed  to  tho  ford,  intending  to  attack 
the  town  from  that  direction. 

The  mistake  of  tho  guides  proved  fortunate.  The 
ap])roach  of  the  whites  was  ap]}rehended,  and  the  In- 
dians had  made  excavations  in  the  bank  commanding 
tho  ford,  each  large  enough  for  one  man  to  lie  with 
his  gun  poised.  lUit  thirdving  from  the  movement  of 
tho  horsemen  down  the  river  that  the  attack  would 
be  made  there,  the  warriors  left  their  excavations  and 
hurried  down  to  defend  the  town.  When  they  saw 
their  mistake,  it  wa.s  too  late  to  regain  the  juts:  in 
addition  to  this,  they  Ix^came  greatly  scattered.  The 
larger  portion  fottnd  themselves  between  tho  river  and 
the  whites;  but  they  made  a  stubborn  resistance  itnder 
the  leadersbiji  of  Kingfisher.  ITugh  L.  White,  after- 
wards prominent  as  a  statesman,  and  a  few  otliers  re- 
solved to  kill  this  chief.  When  he  fell  under  their 
unerring  aim,  the  warriors  gave  up  the  fight  and  fled. 


9©  The  Backward  Trail. 

The  village — which  stood  near  the  present  town  of 
Eome,  Georgia — was  burned.  Sevier  wanted  to  caj-iy 
the  war  further  down  to  other  Indian  settlements,  but 
it  was  decided  to  return  on  account  of  the  difficulties 
to  be  surmounted  i]i  reaching  them. 

The  Etowah  campaign  was  the  last  militar}'  service 
of  Gen.  Sevier  ,  Although  he  had  Ijeen  the  protection 
of  the  frontiers  for  nearly  a  score  of  years,  fighting 
thirty-five  battles  and  never  meeting  defeat,  and  in  all 
his  engagements  losing  but  fifty-six  men,  this  expedi- 
tion was  the  onh'  one  for  which  he  received  compensa- 
tion from  the  government.  Commenting  on  his  man- 
ner of  warfare,  liamsey  says  that  Sevier  was  the  first 
to  introduce  the  Indian  war-whuo})  in  his  battles  with 
the  savages,  the  tories,  or  the  British.  More  harmless 
than  the  leaden  missile,  it  was  not  less  efficient,  and 
was  always  the  precursor  and  attendant  of  victory.  The 
prisonei-s  at  King's  ^Mouiitain  said,  '"We  could  stand 
your  fighting,  but  your  cursed  hallooing  confused  us; 
we  thought  the  mountains  had  regiments  instead  of 
companies.'' 

The  fall  of  1-^towah  |>ractically  put  an  end  to  Indian 
outrages  in  East  Tennessee.  In  the  more  western  settle- 
ments on  the  Cumberland  the  ])eo]ile  still  suffered 
throughout  the  greater  part  of  Gov.  Blount's  adminis- 
tration; but  through  the  determination  of  Gen.  Eobert- 
son.  as  will  be  seen,  the  Xickojack  expedition  was  un- 
dertaken and  carried  out.  resulting  in  com]\arative  peace 
to  those  lonfT-sufFeriuL''  settlers. 


Basis  for  Imi-kachmknt.  91 

Wlu'ii  till'  tcnilorv  came  [o  an  ciid  and  Tenncssre 
bccanu'  a  Stat<'  in  K!)(I,  (iov.  l>l(MinL  was  eleett d  a.> 
one  o\'  till'  scnalttrs  of  {\\v  Inilctl  Slates  from  llie  new 
(•(iinnionwialtli.  lie  and  the  oilier  senator,  William 
Cocke,  wei'e  not  allowed  to  lake  their  seals  (jwing  to 
in'e;^iilai-ilies  attending  the  hist  ele(-lion  laws  of  the 
Slate,  'ihey  were  later  re-elected  and  repaired  to  Phila- 
delphia. 

While  acting  in  his  ea])acit_\  of  senator,  lilount  was 
impeached  hy  the  House  of  Hepresentatives,  l)eing 
ehargetl  with  high  crimes  and  misdemeanors  supposed 
to  have  been  committed  while  a  senator  of  the  Tniled 
States.  The  allegations  were  based  on  a  letter  to  James 
Carey.  Keferring  to  this  letter,  (ien.  IJobertson  once 
said:  "I  never  could  have  Judged  the  letter  to  have 
been  so  criminal,  but  supposed  it  would  have  operated 
against  my  frieiub  as  being  a  public  man."  In  1T!)7 
Senator  IMoiint  wrote  as  follows  ti)  one  of  his  eonstit- 
nenis: 

rHiT.Ar>i:T,i'[iiA,  July  ."),  1T97. 
In  a  few  days  you  will  >ee  published  by  order  of 
C'ongress.  ;;  letter  said  to  have  been  written  Ity  me  to 
James  Carey.  Jt  makes  (jnite  a  fuss  here.  1  ho])e, 
liowever.  the  peo])]e  upon  the  A\'estern  waters  will  see 
nothing  but  good  in  it,  for  so  1  intended,  esjieeially 
for  Tennessee. 

Whether  the  suggestion  1>y  Blount  in  the  Cairy 
letter  justified  or  not  the  charge  that  he  had  '•(•(mspired 
to  set  im  foot  a  military  hostile  expecbtion  against  the 


92  The  Backward  Trail. 

territory  of  his  Catholic  majesty  in  the  Floridas  and 
Louisiana  for  the  purpose  of  wresting  them  from  liis 
Catholic  majesty,  and  of  conquering  the  same  for  Great 
Britain,"  he  was  on  July  8  expelled  from  his  seat.  lie 
returned  to  Knoxville,  where  he  was  welcomed,  though 
disgraced.  The  sergeant-at-arms  of  the  United  States, 
James  Matthers,  followed  him  with  the  intention  of 
arresting  and  carrying  him  in  cust(xly  to  the  seat  of 
government.  Aniving  at  Ivnoxville,  he  found  that  the 
ex-senator  had  friends  who  thought  him  })ersecuted  and 
mistinderstood;  and  that  whatever  the  feeling  in  Phila- 
delphia was,  the  Western  people  retained  confidence  in 
the  man  who  had  been  a  tried  and  true  friend  in  their 
service  for  many  years.  ]Matthers  was  for  some  days 
the  guest  of  Blount,  and  was  treated  with  politeness 
and  even  marked  attention  1a'  the  citizens  of  Knoxville. 
But  when  served  with  process,  the  ex-senator  refused 
to  go  to  Philadelphia.  ^Matthers  summoned  a  posse 
to  his  assistance — hut  not  a  person  came  to  his  aid; 
and  when  he  started  on  his  return  to  the  seat  of  gov- 
ernment, a  numlKT  of  citizens  went  with  him  a  few 
miles  from  town  and  politely  but  firmly  informed  him 
that  Blount  cotild  never  be  taken  from  Tennessee  as 
a  prisoner. 

On  January  li,  1799,  judgment  was  pronounced  by 
the  A'ice  I'resident  that  "the  court  is  of  opinion  that 
the  matter  alleged  in  the  plea  of  the  defendant  is  suf- 
ficient in  law  to  show  that  this  court  ought  not  to 
hold  jurisdiction   of   the   said    impeachment,   and    that 


Blount  HoNOKiiD.  93 

the  said  iinpcachineiil  \)v  (lisinissed."  But  before  this 
aniiouiiceiiieiil  of  tlie  failure  to  sustain  the  prosecution, 
the  .peojjle  of  his  section  had  siiown  their  confidence 
in  Blount  in  a  more  substantial  manner  than  in  their 
treatment  of  Ma.tthers.  iUount  was  elected  to  the  State 
Senate,  and  made  sjjcaker  in  lil)8. 

As  in  the  case  of  Andrew  Jolmson,  prejudice  may 
have  liad  Jiuich  to  do  in  the  impeachment  of  Blount; 
or  if  it  was  not  prejudice,  it  may  have  been  an  over- 
zealous  desire  of  easily-friijhtened  statesmen  to  prevent 
a  rupture  with  Spain,  then  considerably  more  powerful 
than  a  century  later.  Like  Andrew  Johnson,  too,  he 
was  as  po])u]ar  with  his  constituency  after  his  impeach- 
ment as  before.  ]5ut  he  did  not  live  long  to  enjoy 
their  renewed  tokens  of  esteem. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

THE     NICKOJACK     EXPEDITIOX,     AVHICH     KESULTED     IX 
BKEAKIXG  THE   SI'IEIT   OF   THE   INDIANS. 

The  selling  into  bondage  of  the  favorite  son  of  Jacob 
in  the  earlier  history  of  the  Hebrews  seemed  a  mis- 
fortune to  the  father  and  youth,  but  it  proved  a  blessing 
to  the  chosen  people;  and  the  hardships  of  A\'allace*s  fic- 
titious hero,  Jien  llur — fitting  him  to  successfully  carry 
out  the  duties  to  devolve  upon  him — are  but  a  repeti- 
tion of  a  lesson  as  old  as  the  ages.  In  April,  1788, 
Joseph  Ikown,  a  lad  of  sixteen  years  of  age,  was  pass- 
ing with  his  father  and  others  in  a  boat  down  the  Ten- 
nessee river  on  their  way  to  the  Cumberland  settle- 
ments. The  boat  was  captured  by  the  Indians  near 
Running  Water  town,  and  the  crew  butchered  with  a 
few  exceptions.  Among  the  cai)tives  was  the  lad  men- 
tioned, lie  was  held  by  the  Indians  for  several  months, 
until  their  haunts  became  as  well  known  to  him  as  the 
neighborhood  where  he  was  reared.  He  was  finally 
exchanged  through  the  efforts  of  Sevier,  an  Indian 
squaw  predicting  at  the  time  of  the  excliange  that  he 
would  one  day  lead  back  an  expedition  for  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  Indians.  This  prediction  proved  true. 
(94) 


Okk  Cjiv):n  Command.  95 

When  Indian  raid,<  on  the  ('uiulx'ilaiul  people  In'oaine 
so  inlolerahle  thai  (ien.  liol>ert.son  rc>olvetl,  despite 
the  warjiiiigs  of  tlie  tiTritorial  governor,  William 
lUount.  and  the  instruelions  of  the  general  government, 
lo  make  an  attack  on  Xiekojaek.  Jinnning  Water  and 
otlier  Indian  towns,  ilrouii  was  scleeted  to  di.-eover  a 
route  thrrcto  and  guide  the  exjicdition,  the  eireum- 
stanee  emphasizing  the  idea  of  disguised  hlcssings  once 
more.  Troops  were  raised  m  Kentucky  through  the 
cft'orts  of  Sam|ison  Williams,  of  the  Cundierland  settle- 
ments; Col.  Foi'd  levied  others  hetween  Nashville  and 
Clai'ksville  on  the  east  side  of  Cund)erland  rivei';  Col. 
^lontgomerv  joined  the  force  with  a  company  fr(;m 
Clarksville;  while  (ien.  liohei'tson  rai>ed  volunteers  in 
and  around  Nashville.  .Maj.  Ore.  who  had  heen  ordered 
with  a  command  of  mounted  men  to  ])rotect  ^leio  Dis- 
trict, arrived  at  Naslnille  wliik'  the  ex]iedition  was  be- 
ing {irojeeted.  antl  on.  .Septend)er  (J.  IT'J-l,  was  given 
command  Ijy  (ien.  IJohertson  in  an  expHeit  and  yet  in- 
genionsly-worded  order. 

On  the  next  day  the  army  marched  to  the  Bkick 
Fox"s  camp  where  .Murfreeshoro,now  stands:  next  day 
it  crossed  Duck  river  near  the  stone  fort  at  Maneliester; 
then  crossing  VAk  river  and  Cumlierland  Mountain  it 
reached  tlie  Tennessee  about  three  miles  Ixdow-  the 
moutli  of  Sequatchee.  An  encamjiment  was  made  tliere 
as  it  was  niglu  wlien  tlvy  arrived.  Ind'ore  dawn  <if  tlie 
following  (lav  the  ariuy  was  busily  engaged  crossing 
the  river,  and  U'gan  a  cautiou.s  march  up  the  motmtain 


96  Thk  Backward  Trail. 

between  the  point  of  which  and  the  river  Brown  and 
Richard  I'innelson,  tlie  guides,  said  tlie  town  of  Xicko- 
jack  lay.  The  troops  under  Ore  nundjered  over  live 
hundred,  according  to  Ore's  oiiicial  report,  and  they 
reached  tlie  town  on  September  13. 

Xickojack  was  inhabited  l)y  two  or  three  hundred 
Indians.  They  consisted  mainly  of  bandits.  Of  the 
topographical  features  of  Xickojack  and  Running 
Water  a  historian  remarks:  "The  situation  of  these 
towns  caught  a  certain  air  of  picturesque  ganduur  from 
the  natural  scenery  around  them.  The  two  most  im- 
portant were  Xickojack  and  lUnining  Water.  They 
were  sititated  on  a  })reci})ice  which  was  all  but  impreg- 
nable. A  deep,  broad,  dangerous  river  ran  below.  Be- 
yond were  tlie  dense  forests,  ])enetrated  only  by  the 
})aths  which  successive  generations  of  wild  beasts  had 
made,  and  the  tall,  inaccessible  })eaks  of  the  Cumber- 
land ^Mountains,  down  whose  dark  and  precipitous 
ravines  it  was  supposed  no  horse  could  ever  descend. 
The  ap])roach  in  the  rear  was  impossible  to  all  but 
friends.  The  eagle  in  his  eerie,  the  panther  in  his  lair, 
could  not  be  safer."" 

The  spot  was  indeed  an  ideal  one  for  the  fierce 
Chickamaugas  and  their  few  white  associates.  It  was 
a  little  world  to  itself.  After  a  descent  u))on  the  set- 
tlements, the  warriors  could  return  there,  bid  anxiety 
de])art.  and  enjoy  the  fruits  of  their  plundei'ings;  there 
the  women  might  watch  their  offspring  gamboling  in 
the  sunshine  without  fear  of  the  intrusion  of  an  enemv. 


NicKOjACK  Village.  97 

For  years  they  liad  enjoyed  iiiiimmity.  In  the  .-i)ring 
the  birds  trilled  tlieir  poems  of  peaee;  in  the  suiiiiner 
the  woods  were  green  and  ihe  waters  elear,  and  ehjiid- 
tiliadows  passitig  over  the  mountains  were  not  an  augury 
even  to  those  sujierslitious  beings  of  eonnng  disasters; 
when  autumn  eaane  with  its  haze,  and  red,  gold  and 
green  tints,  and  that  wonderful  pathos  in  the  air  for 
tilings  j)assing  away,  did  not  nature  still  hold  eternal 
guard  and  assure  them  that  there  were  none  to  molest 
or  make  afraid? 

But  tlie  sense  of  j)erfeet  safety  is  n(jt  infreipiently 
l)Ut  a  moment's  distanee  from  doom.  Maj.  Ore's  trooj)s 
were  divided  into  two  wings — the  main  body  under  C'ol. 
A\'hitley  was  to  make  a  detour  and  attaek  Xiekojaek 
above,  while  tln'  other  wing,  under  .Montgomery,  was 
lo  attaek  below.  So  great  \\a>  I  he  lnflian>"  freling  of 
seeurity  that  no  si'nti'ics  were  })os!eil  at  the  approaelu-s 
to  the  town,  and  the  whites  were  u))on  them  and  >hoot- 
ing  them  down  before  they  knew  the  foe  was  within 
a  hundred  niile>  of  those  fa.stnesses.  Two  houses  were 
seen  in  the  cornfields  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  feet 
from  the  village.  To  prevtMit  their  diseovery  by  the 
Indians  in  time  to  make  a  defense,  the  troops  rushed 
in  full  speed  in  the  direction  of  Xiekojaek.  They 
passed  the  cabins,  which  were  found  to  be  vacant,  and 
liastenod  to  the  landing  on  the  river  where  the  fleeing 
savages  \vero  endeavoring  to  escape  in  their  canoes. 
Besides  three  or  four  Ijoat  loads  in  the  river,  there  were 
twenty-five  or  thirty  warriors  standing  on  the  bank. 
7 


98  The  Backward  Traii,. 

William  Pillow,  who  was  in  the  lead  of  the  whites,  fired 
at  them,  and  his  shot  was  followed  by  a  destructive 
volley  from  Col.  Montgomery's  force,  which  left  hardly 
an  Indian  alive.  A  few,  however,  escaped  by  covering 
themselves  with  the  plunder  in  the  canoes  or  by  diving. 
Col.  AVhitley,  who  was  above  the  town,  sent  Brown  back 
with  a  detachment  of  about  twenty  men  to  intercept 
those  Indians  who  might  try  to  escape  from  the  mouth 
of  the  creek  which  emptied  into  the  river  below.  Then 
Whitley  and  his  command  rushed  down.  The  Indians 
were  helplessly  hemmed,  and  their  destruction  was 
thorough. 

liunning  Water  was  four  miles  higher  up  the  river. 
After  destroying  Xickojack.  the  troo];s  marched  to  that 
place.  Its  inliabitants  had  fled,  and  the  whites,  after 
razing  the  village,  wliich  was  larger  than  Xickojack. 
l)egan  their  homeward  march.  The  other  villages  were 
uniuiportant.  and  ]\Iaj.  Ore  decided  to  leave  them  un- 
molested. ]\raj.  Ore"s  rei)ort  to  Gov.  Blount  is  interest- 
ing, and  is  therefore  given  here: 

KxoxviT.LE.  Scjitember  24.  1T94. 
SfK:  On  the  seventh  instant,  by  order  of  Cen. 
Eobcrtson.  of  ]\rero  District.  I  marched  from  Xashville 
with  five  hundred  and  fiftv  nu)unted  infantry  under 
my  command,  and  ])ursued  the  tr;!ce  of  tlu^  Indians 
wIk)  had  committed  the  latest  murders  in  the  District 
of  .Mero.  and  of  the  ])arty  that  ca]iturcd  Peter  Turney's 
negi'o  woman  to  the  Tennessee.  I  crossed  it  on  the 
night  of  tlie  twelfth,  about  four  miles  below  Nickojack, 
and  in  the  momins:  of  the  thirteenth,  destroyed  Xicko- 


Major  ()ki;'s  Ri;i>()kt.  99 

jack  aiul  K'liiiiiiii;^-  Waici'.  towns  oi  llic  ( 'hciokecs. 
Tilt'  (irsi  l)('iii;;-  t'liliiily  siiiTdiiiidcd  and  alt^ickud  hy 
.siir]iii.-c,  I  lie  slaii>;lilcr  ua>  Liiral,  liiit  caiiiiol  lie  accu- 
raU'ly  i't'])(Ji'tc(L  a>  many  Wy'iv  killed  in  ilie  Tcnnc-sct.-. 
.Xinctct'ii  uonii'n  and  cliildrcn  \\vw  made  prisoiiei's  at 
this  town.  Tlie  Ixunninii-  Water  town  heiiijx  oidy  four 
iinles  aiio\c  Xiekojaek,  the  news  of  the  attack  iij)()ii  the 
latlt'f  reacheil  the  t'orniei'  heloie  the  ti'oops  under  my 
command,  and  a  I'esistance  was  made  to  save  it  at  a 
]»lace  called  the  Narrows;  hut.  al'ler  the  exchani^c  of  a 
few  I'ounds,  the  Indians  posu-d  at  that  place  ;^ave  way, 
and  ihe  town  was  huiait  without  t'ui'thei'  opposition, 
will)  all  the  eU'ecls  found  therein,  and  the  troops  under 
my  command  reirossed  the  Teinu.-see  the  same  day. 
From  ihe  hest.  jud^iiu'nl  that  could  he  formed,  the 
iiumhi.'r  of  Indians  killed  at  the  towns  jnust  luive  heeii 
upwards  of  (ifty.  and  the  loss  sustained  hy  the  troops 
undei-  mv  command,  was  one  lieutenant  and  two 
jirivates  wounded. 

JJunnin^-  Water  was  counted  the  lai\u'esl  and  amon,>i: 
the  most  hostiK'  towns  of  the  Cherokecs.  Xicko- 
jac-k  was  not  le.-s  hostile,  hut  infei'ior  in  point  of  num- 
hei's.  At  Xickojack  wei'e  found  two  fi'esh  scalps  which 
lijid  liUely  heeii  taken  at  Cumheidand.  and  several  that 
were  old  were  lianirini;"  in  ihe  houses  of  the  warriors, 
as  trophies  of  war:  a  ipiantity  of  ammunition,  powder 
and  lead,  latt'ly  arrived  thert'  from  the  Spanish  <:-overii- 
]uent.  and  a  comnussion  for  the  I^reath.  tlie  liead  man 
of  till'  town,  who  was  killed,  and  sundry  horses  and 
otlier  articles  of  ])ro])erty-  were  found  ])o(h  at  Xickojack 
and  IJuniiint;"  Water,  wliicli  were  known  liy  one  or 
oilier  of  tlie  militia  to  liave  l-ehmired  to  different  people 
killed  l)y  the  Indians  in  the  course  of  tlie  last  twelve 
months. 


loo  -The  Backward  Trail. 

TJie  prisoners  taken,  anion ir  whom  was  the  wife  and 
child  of  Eiehard  I-'innelson,  my  pilot,  informed  me 
that,  on  the  fourth  instant,  sixty  Creeks  and  Lower 
C'herokees  passed  the  Tennessee  for  war  a^^ainst  the 
frontiers.  They  also  informed  me  that  two  nights  be- 
fore the  destruelion  of  Kunning  Water  a  scalp  dance 
had  been  held  in  it  over  the  scalps  lately  taken  from 
C'uml)erland,  at  which  were  present  John  Watts,  the 
Bloody  Fellow  and  the  other  chiefs  of  the  lower  towns, 
and  at  which  they  determined  to  continue  the  war,  in 
conjunction  with  the  Creeks,  witli  more  activity  than 
heretofore  against  the  frontiers  of  the  United  States, 
and  to  erect  block-houses  .U  each  of  the  lower  towns 
for  their  defense,  as  advised  by  the  Spanish  govern- 
ment. The  prisoners  also  informed  me  that  a  scalp- 
dance  was  to  he  held  in  two  niglits  at  Redheaded  Will's 
town,  a  new  town  about  thiity  miles  lower  down  the 
Tennessee. 

The  troo]is  under  mv  commiind  generallv  behaved 
well. 

1  have  the  honor  to  lie  your  excellency's  uu)st  obedi- 
ent, humble  servant. 


Jamks  (.)rk. 


Gov.    J^)1.01XT. 


Joseph  lirown.  the  guide,  had  a  talk  with  aii  Indian 
at  Tellico  block-house  after  the  cxjiodiiion.  in  which 
he  was  informed  that  the  loss  of  th.e  enemy  at  the 
destruction  of  Xickojack  was  seventy  instead  of  fifty. 

Thotiglitful  and  fair  peopJe  who  understand  the 
situation  in  Mere  District  at  that  time,  will  agree  that 
the  invasion  of  the  Indian  country  was  necessary  for 
the  peace  and  safety  of  the  people,  and  that  the  gov- 


R)';.si;i,T  OF  thk  I^xi'icditiox. 


lol 


ermiK'iit's  jiulicv  nf  siil)iiiis>i(Ui  to  Indian  onlra^^es  was 
i-riiiiinall}-  criMncons.  liiil  nulu  il  li-taiKliiiu-  llii>.  (icn. 
H()l)(  I'lson  was  censured  l»_v  ilio  j^ovcrniuenl  and  relinked 
\)y  (iov.  niciunl.  The  fact  llial  he  knew  that  he  was 
jusiilled  l)y  his  dwn  jteople,  wlin  wei'e  in  a  position 
to  know  the  state  of  atl'airs  in  the  disti'iet.  (hiuhlhess 
caused  liiiu  to  hise  hltle  shep  ovei'  whal  Haywood 
c\|)resses  as  uovernineiital  siuiilin^'. 

Conipai'ative  freedom  t'rotn  Indian  annoyances  was 
tlie  I'esull  of  the  Xiekojack  e\))edilion. 

'I'he  peo]ile  of  Mero  Disli'ict  were  occasionally  har- 
assed hy  murders  and  thefts,  and  kept  scouts  amon<r 
the  settlements  until  the  Creek  wai's:  hut  the  fears  and 
real  dan^Li'crs  <d'  foi'mer  days  wiMe  foi'e\ci-  ^I'one.  'i'he 
approach  of  the  second  war  with  f'.n^land  somewhat 
stimulati'd  the  Indians"  hope.-  of  resisting'  the  hroad- 
eniii^U"  sway  of  the  American^.  Iiut  their  elTorts  did  not 
sei'iously   distni-h   the   Tenm'ssee   settlements. 

From  the  fii'sl  setllemenl  at  \\'alanL:a  in  1108  to  the 
admission  of  Tennessee  into  ik.e  I'niou.  the  whites  had 
withstood  a  sa\a.ii'e  hoi'de  estimated  at  something  like 
one  hundi'cd  and  fifty  thou-and.  of  whom  twenty  thou- 
sand were  wai'i'iors — immediate  neiyhhoi's  of  the  set- 
tlers: while  lieyond  the  Mississipjii  was  an  unknown 
myriad  in  fi'iendly  alliance  with  the  other  savau'es. 
Their  perseverance  and  courage  prevailed  in  the  end, 
liowever. 


CHAPTER  X. 

MERE   GLIMPSES  OE  CEKTAIX  OTIIEK  CliAEACTEKS   EIGUR- 
ING    IX    THE    EARLY    SETTLEilEXTS. 

A  decidedly  jjroniineiit  and  daring  pioneer  of  the 
eastern  section  in  its  incipient  settlement  was  James 
Hubbard,  who  lived  at  Watauga.  His  ])arents  had  been 
murdered  when  he  was  a  hoy,  and  the  passion  of  his 
life  appeared  to  be  to  avenge  their  massacre.  He  pos- 
sessed absolute  coolness  in  danger,  as  well  as  the  cun- 
ning of  the  craftiest  savage.  It  is  said  that  he  could 
practice,  and  had  practiced  for  years,  and  successfully, 
the  strategies  of  singie-hanc.ed  warfare,  and  excelled 
the  boldest  and  shrewdest  of  the  rrice  lie  hated.  The 
Indians  knew  him  and  feared  liiui  ]n(jre  tlian  any  man 
of  his  time,  not  excepting  perhajis  Simon  Kenton  and 
Daniel  l>oone.  AVhile  he  [)ossessed  their  courage  and 
skill,  he  was  lacking  in  pity,  foi'  liis  hatred  of  the 
Indians  could  not  be  softened  by  any  ap])eal  to  his 
conscience. 

The  Indians  for  some  time  before  ihe  establishment 
of  fhe  State  of  Franklin  had  been  subjecting  the  East 
Tennessee  settlements  to  their  customary  annoyances, 
and  the  lethargic  attitude  of  Xorth  Carolina  toward 
Indian  atrocities  on  the  frontier  was  one  thing  which 
(102) 


Invktkkatk  l^oKS.  103 

su^gc'sk'd  Lo  lilt'  pujiifci's  llif  idea  ttl'  11  st'j)aralc  guvcrn- 
niciil — one  wlueli  would  iiisUif  ^ri-alci'  piulccliun.  Nio 
doubt  the  Indians  had  some  caust"  lor  provotaiion.  it 
was  allegt'd  h\  iheni,  and  believed  li\'  llie  goveiiujr  oi' 
2sorlh  Carolina^  thai  ihe  killing  of  an  Jndian  ehiel  by 
Hubbard  was  one  niolive  i'or  Indian  ho.-ulily.  The 
I'aels  ol"  the  t-hit'i'"s  death  are  as  iollnw,-:  lie  was  known 
as  Butler  by  the  whiles,  as  Untoola.  by  the  Indians. 
In  a  light  with  llubbartl  oiu-e  he  had  bci'ii  disai'nied 
and  sent  baek  lo  his  tribe  without  weapt)ns.  and  eon- 
se(|uently  (.lisgraeed.  The  ehief  smarted  under  this  dis- 
graee,  and  naturally  cherished  tin'  ho})e  of  ri'venge. 
Sometime  after  this  oceurrenee,  and  while  a  sort  of 
peace  was  patched  up  Ix'lween  the  Cheroket's  of  the 
upper  towns  and  ihe  whites,  corn  became  scarce  among 
the  latter.  They  sent  among  the  Indians  for  su]ii)lics, 
and  Hubbard,  going  on  one  of  these  nussions  (les]iile 
the  aversion  with  which  the  savages  regarded  him. 
selected  the  village  where  I)Utlei-  had  bi'cii  a  chief. 
Perhaps  he  was  actuated  hy  a  desire  to  aggravate  his 
already  mortified  and  discomlited  enemy. 

liutlcr  learned  of  Hubbard's  a|)j)roac)i.  and  going  out 
with  a  friend  to  meet  him.  asked  why  he  had  cnme 
there.  This  was  said  with  an  aii'  of  insult,  but  Hub- 
hard  showed  an  empty  corn  sack,  and  explaiiu'd  that 
he  had  come  to  purchase  corn.  TFe  then  otfered  the 
two  Indians  a  drink  of  whiskey.  The  disgn-aced  chief 
nnide  no  reply,  but  stood  looking  with  hate  on  his 
ancient  enemy.     Xot  the  least  (hsturhed.  but  apparently 


I04  Thk  Backward  Trail. 

(lesiioii.^  of  ptace,  Jiuljlicud  leaned  his  giui  against  a 
tree  and  leiurned  tiie  gaze  'jf  the  Indian;  but  when  he 
noticed  lUitler  ride  toward  hini,  with  the  intention  of 
getting  between  him  and  Ids  gun,  l)e  laid  Ins  liand 
upon  the  muzzle.  Idie  Indian  struck  at  him,  and 
missed;  then  raising  his  gun.  fh'ed.  Dodging  his  head 
adroitly,  he  escajjed,  though  the  bullet  cut  a  sear  in 
his  temple.  The  two  Indians  turned  and  tried  to  escape, 
but  had  not  gotten  more  than  eighty  yards  off  when 
Hubbard  shot  Butler  froin  his  horse.  The  latter  was  not 
killed  by  the  shot,  and  Hubbard  ])u-ked  him  i\\)  and 
leancf]  him  against  a  tree.  I'his  would  doubtless  have 
been  the  end  of  the  difbcidiy,  Imt  fhitler  taunted  him 
tmtil  the  now  enraged  white  broke  his  skull  with  Ins 
rifle  barrel.  With  his  usual  good  fortune,  Hubbard 
escajjed. 

Another  tragedy  in  whicli  he  figured  was  eliaracter- 
ized  by  his  dominant  heart]e>sness  where  the  Indians 
were  concerned.  In  the  early  months  (if  178S  the 
Cherokees  began  to  yearn  for  war.  Their  first  liostilo 
act  of  the  year  was  a  massacre  wldch  causes  the 
blood  to  curdle  at  its  mention.  A  family  of  the  name 
of  Kirk  lived  on  the  southwest  side  of  Tittle  river, 
twelve  miles  south  of  the  ])resent  city  of  Knoxville. 
In  ^fay.  the  head  of  tlie  family  and  a  son  were  called 
away  from  home.  During  tlieir  absence  an  Indian, 
fannliarly  known  as  Slim  Tom.  who  had  lieen  a]i])ar- 
ently  a  friend  of  the  Kirk=,  came  to  the  liouse  and 
requested    some    provisions.       The    hospitable    family 


Thk  Kirks  Avkngkd.  105 

readily  su|j])lie(i  liiin.  \\  Ink-  llicre,  lie  look  csj^ecial 
cugnizaiice  ul'  the  suiruundiiigs,  and  SL'i,'in<f  thai  llie 
whiles  were  iiol  prepared  lor  t;  (Jeteiise,  willuirew  lo  ihe 
woods.  Soon  al'lerwards  lie  relumed  willi  a  {larly  of 
liis  raee,  and  niassaered  ihe  eleven  iiieniliers  ol'  I  lie 
family,  leaving  llieni  dead  in  ihe  yard. 

1l  was  a  fearful  inslanee  of  iiigralilude,  hui  il  en- 
tailed a  relalialion  ihal  was  as  horrifying. 

When  Kirk  relurned  lo  his  home,  he  was  greeled 
with  ihe  sight  of  his  family  hrulally  murdered,  lying 
willi  mulilaled  forms  \inder  ihe  l)lue  skies  o(  his  adopt- 
ed land,  lie  gave  the  alai'in,  and  the  militia  gathei'ed 
under  .John  Sevier  to  ilie  :iuml)ei'  of  several  liundred, 
and  several  Indian  lowns  were  hui'iied  and  a  gieal  num- 
her  of  savages  killed.  lUit  dui'ing  ihe  raid,  the  nuii'der 
of  the  Kirk  family  was  shockingly  avenged  in  a  wav 
whi(-h,  notwiihsianding  the  provocation,  cannot  be  con- 
doned. A  friendly  Indian.  Ahraham,  had  refused  to  go 
to  war  with  his  ])eople.  In  this  resolution  he  met  the 
indorsement  of  his  son.  Tlie  two  lived  on  the  north 
side  of  tlie  I'ennessce.  and  when  the  troops  of  Sevier 
arrived  on  the  south  side,  Tluhhard  sent  for  Al)i'aham 
and  his  son  to  come  over.  They  came.  <h)ul)tles,s  lie- 
lieving  that  their  friendship  would  hi.'  met  with  the 
gratitude  it  merited.  Ilu])hard  then,  while  Sevier  was 
absent  and  not  sus])ecting  that  a  tragedy  was  to  ho 
enacted,  ordered  them  to  return  and  liring  The  Tas-el 
and  another  Indian  that  he  might  ha\e  a  talk  with 
them.      Some   half   a   dozen    Indians   were   brouu-ht    to 


io6  The  Backward  Trail. 

the  troops  in  this  way,  and  were  eunfined  in  a  liouse 
contiguous. 

Hubbard,  accompanied  by  a  son  oi'  tlie  settler,  Kirk, 
whose  family  had  been  butchered  on  Little  Kiver,  was 
allowed  to  go  into  the  room  where  the  Indians  were 
confined,  the  troops,  it  is  averred,  being  aware  of  the 
cause  for  the  visit.  Kirk  deliljerately  walked  up  to 
one  of  the  prisoners,  and  sunk  his  tomahawk  into  his 
skull,  the  Indian  falliiig  dead  at  his  feet. 

The  other  Indians  by  this  time  comprehending  the 
situation,  realized  what  would  be  their  fate,  but  they 
did  not  murmur.  Their  demeanor  should  have 
disarmed  the  two  men's  hatred  and  led  them  to 
spare  the  guiltless.  The  scene  wliich  occurred  in  the 
Itoman  senate  of  old,  when  tlie  savage  invaders  entered 
it,  was  in  a  measure  re-enacted,  tbough  the  victims  in 
this  instance  slicwed  the  dignity  and  fortitude  of  the 
representatives  of  (.-ivilization  in  tlie  first.  Casting  tlieir 
glance  on  the  gi'umid,  the  Indians  witliotit  a  murmur 
awaited  death.  Kirk  struck  each  on  the  upper  ])art  of 
the  head  with  Ids  tomahawk,  killing  all  bef<jre  he  stop- 
ped. 

^'Sevier,  I'cturning.  saw  the  tragical  ell'ects  of  this  rash 
act,""  says  Haywood,  "and,  on  remonsti'ating  against  it, 
was  answered  by  Kirk  who  was  sujjported  by  some  of 
the  troops,  tliat  if  he  had  stilTered  from  the  mtirderous 
hands  of  the  Indians,  r.s  he  (Kirk)  had.  he  (Sevier) 
would  have  acted   in  the  same  wav.      Sevier,   iinafile  to 


Si'i;nchk  thk  Giant.  107 

j)uiii>li  him,  \v;is  (il)li;j,i'(l  to  ovt'rlook  the  lla^^ilious  deed 
and  accjuiesce  in  ihe  reply." 

There  can  he  no  (hjuhl  ahouL  JIuhhard  in.sli<,Mlin<^ 
tills  all'air.  Sli-ange  lo  relate,  despite  his  ineredess 
enniily  toward  the  Indians,  he  was  not  a  terror  to  his 
own  people,  hut  was  coiisideiXHl  a  vahiahle  man  in  ihe 
needs  ol  frontier  life. 

Kel'erenee  is  made  in  another  eliapter  to  Thomas 
Sliarpe  Spenet'r.  the  <:iant,  who  was  the  earliest  settler 
ot  Middle  'IV'imes.-ee.  Writers  of  the  State's  annals 
a<:;ree  in  ]>r(inoun(in>:'  him  one  of  the  hravest  of  men, 
an  ideal  frontiersman.  When  he  came  lo  the  seeli(ni 
which  he  afterwards  niacie  his  home,  he  was  aceom- 
])anied  l)y  other  huiUers.  l)iit  they  soon  left.  He  spent 
the  winter  of  I'l'IO  and  1^80  alone  in  the  wilderness, 
takin,u'  up  his  ahode  in  a  hollow  tree  siandin";  near 
the  present  site  of  Castalian  Sprintrs.  Sumner  Connty. 
The  trnidv  of  this  tree  was  still  visihle  jnst  ahove 
_i,n"oinid  in  the  lirst  (juarter  of  the  nineteenth  centnry, 
measui-iin:"  twelve  icvt  in  cii'cnmference. 

^liles  Darden.  a  Tennesse.m.  is  said  to  have  heen  tlie 
la.rucst  man  on  record,  weiuiiinp'  a  few  years  hefore  Ids 
dt'ath  over  a  thousand  ])ounds.  Ti'ohahlv  S]M:'ncer  did 
not  a])])roacli  him  in  size  and  weiijht.  Init  he  was  of 
innnense  stature. 

Stories  are  told  of  his  ])rodii:-ions  siren,irth  that  wonld 
nstoiiisli  the  ])nl)lit-  of  ti>-day.  fiimiliar  as  it  is  witli 
professional     strontr    men.       Amoiiirst     his    eouraiieons 


io8  The  Backward  Trail. 

deeds  is  that  of  saving  the  life  of  Mrs.  Bledsoe,  wife 
of  the  Indian  fighter  and  surveyor,  Anthony  Bledsoe. 
They  were  going  through  the  country  horseback,  when 
they  were  fired  upon  by  the  Indians.  Mrs.  Bledsoe 
was  thrown  from  her  horse,  and  was  in  jeopardy  of  her 
life  when  Spencer  took  her  up  while  the  Indians"  bul- 
lets were  whistling  around  them,  and  reached  a  place 
of  safety  with  her. 

Spencer  was  finally  slain  by  the  savages  on  what  is 
now  Spencer's  Hill,  between  Carthage  and  Crab  Orch- 
ard, in  lT9-±.  He  seemed  to  have  no  sense  of  fear  of 
the  Indians,  often  roaming  and  hunting  alone  in  the 
forest  for  ten  or  twelve  days  at  a  time  during  the  worst 
seasons  of  savage  warfare. 

Music  may  he  said  to  he  as  essential  to  the  enjoy- 
ment of  mankind  as  sugar  in  some  form  is  necessary  to 
the  system;  and  next  to  vocal  music,  that  of  the  violin 
has  been  most  highly  appreciated  Ijy  infant  and  ])rimi- 
tive  communities.  In  tliu  backwoods  to-day,  fiddlers 
are  more  common  than  the  performers  on  any  other 
instniinent.  This  was  the  case  on  the  Tennessee  fron- 
tier. A  celehrated  fiddler  of  early  times  has  been  given 
to  posterity  by  Putnam.  lie  was  .Tames  rjaml)le. 
Paganini  had  a  world-wide  reputation  as  a  violinist,  and 
audiences  went  into  ecstasies  over  his  strains,  fiam- 
Ijle's  clientele  wsis  smaller:  hut  as  lie  went  liis  way.  en- 
joving  life  as  Tennyson  in  ov.q  of  liis  lyrics  desired  to 
do,  "and  fiddled  in  the  timber.""  his  ])erformances  were 


A  Backwoods  Fiddler.  109 

siillicicnl  fur  tlir  liuiiihU;  i)i()neers.  Jle  u.i.s  the  violin- 
ist of  tlu'  C'uiiil»crlaii(l  st'tlleinciits,  iiiJikiiig  liis  lionie 
at  r)lccl>(u'"s  station,  lie  was  a  g(»o(l-iiature(],  liappy 
inan,  inaking  no  fnt'niirs,  and  his  wile  appeared  lo 
enjo\  his  re|tutation  not  wil  h.^tandinL''  ihu  fact  that  he 
was  so  uuieh  wethh'd  to  his  liddh'.  '■\\'hen  the  <i;r('at  re- 
vival canie,"  says  Jhiinain  in  his  ([uaint  trihute,  "the 
(huuing,  involuntary  and  wilhoul  ease  or  i^raee,  eon- 
tinued;  hut  insti'unienlal  inusie  was  ecjndemned  as  un- 
suitahle,  and.  indei'd,  sinful  to  he  })raeticed  or  heard  Ijy 
professors  of  religion,  and  several  of  the  fiddlers  of 
]\rero  laid  their  instruments  on  the  shelves  or  among  eld 
trumpery,  and  a  few  hroke  them  in  })ieecs.  James 
(Jamhle  (we  hope)  was  also  a  Christian,  a  devotee  to 
his  seienee  of  sweet  sounds  upon  horse-hair  and  eat- 
gut,  hut  never  a  higot.  lie  read  his  Bihle,  and  fiddled; 
lie  i)rayed,  and  he  liddled;  asked  a  silent  hlcssing  on  his 
meals,  gave  thanks,  and  liddled;  went'  to  meeting,  sang 
the  songs  of  Zion.  joined  in  all  devotional  services,  went 
home,  and  liddled.  lie  sometimes  fiddled  in  hed,  hut 
always  fiddled  when  he  got  up.  We  douht  not  he 
indulged  in  fiddling  lo  excess,  hut  if  all  men  were  as 
innocent  of  hai'm  and  eontrihu.ted  as  much  to  tlu?  ])leas- 
iire  of  their  fellows  as  he.  tlie  world  would  he  hetter 
than  it  is." 

By  dispensing  his  music,  did  not  this  backwoodsman 
scatter  sunshine  where  it  was  most  needed?  Perhaps 
even  his  career  impresses  the  fact  that  it  is  better  to 


no  Thb  Backward  Trail. 

succeed  in  a  humble  sphere,  doing  well  that  of  which 
we  are  capable,  than  to  reflect  little  liouor  in  a  more 
important  station. 

Some  men  have  given  their  talents  and  best  efforts 
to  win  notoriety,  and  failed,  or  are  only  kept  in  remem- 
brance by  a  song  or  a  smart  saying.  Others  without 
aspiration  or  effort  or  merii  have  had  their  memories 
strangely  enough  kept  green,  in  a  local  sense,  at  least. 
Of  the  latter  class  was  David  Hood.  He  lived  among 
the  Xashborough  people,  and  was  a  cooper;  a  sinij.le, 
easy-going,  garrulous  person,  given  to  garbling  Scrip- 
ture, and  a  tireless  if  tiresome  jumster. 

There  is  something  which  ap})ea]s  to  our  sense  of  the 
ludicrous  in  contemplating  the  occurrence  which  gave 
him  his  claim  to  recollection  notwithstanding  the  hor- 
rible circumstances  surrounding  it.  In  the  winter  of 
1782  he  was  returning  from  one  of  the  nearby  stations 
to  Xashborough,  when  he  was  chased  by  a  number  of 
Indians,  who  fired  as  they  ]nirsued.  Thinking  that  there 
was  little  chance  to  save  his  life  in  any  event,  he  decided 
to  make  them  l)elicve  he  had  licen  killed  l)y  one  of  their 
shots,  and  so  fell  on  his  face.  In  the  language  of  the 
day,  "possuming""  was  the  word  for  feigning.  When 
the  Indians  reached  him  one  of  them  twisted  his  fingers 
in  his  hair,  and  scaljicd  him.  Tliey  then  ]u-oceeded 
toward  the  fort  he  had  tried  to  reach.  AMien  they  liad 
passed  out  of  sight,  their  victim,  Ijleeding  but  thankful 
that  matters  were  no  worse,  got  up  and  also  started  in 


David  II(;oij's  Casp;.  in 

the  direction  of  Nashl)orou<;ii.  ^louiiting  Uie  ridge 
above  llio  sulphur  spring,  lie  was  dismayed  lo  see  lliat 
the  Indiajis  had  again  discovered  him.  He  mined  to 
run,  while  the  enemy  iired  shot  alter  shot  at  him.  One 
bullet  struek  him  in  the  breast,  but  did  not  at  once  dis- 
able him.  Jileeding  pi-ofusely  tVom  his  wound,  he 
finally  fell  exhausted  and  unconscious  in  the  snow. 
The  Indians,  after  having,  inllieted  what  they  consid- 
ered mortal  wouiuls,  left  him  where  he  had  fallen  on  a 
brush  heaj)  in  the  snow\ 

When  found,  IJood  was  taken  to  the  fort  and  placed 
in  an  out-house  as  a  dead  man;  but  next  morning  some 
of  the  females,  suggesting  that  life  might  not  he  (piite 
extinct,  expressed  a  desire  to  look  at  liiiu.  Tliey 
thought  they  could  ])erceive  signs  of  life,  and  accord- 
ingly had  him  removed  to  better  quarters.  His  wounds 
■were  dressed  and  cordials  administered,  and  it  was  not 
long  before  his  condition  was  encouraging.  His  con- 
valescence was  remarkably  fast  and  it  was  but  a  few 
days  until  his  native  humor  asserted  itself  in  a  jnin  as 
to  liaving  so  com])]etely  "hoodwinked  the  Indians!"' 

Of  the  many  l(K-ally-noted  settlers,  hunters  and  In- 
dian flgliters  of  the  Cumberland  country  but  one  or  two 
others  will  bo  mentioned.  A  volume  might  easily  be 
devoted  t(^  the  daring  ex])l(vlts  of  Anthony  P)ledsoe, 
John  Rains.  S]ienccr  and  Jonathan  Jennings,  Samson 
Williams,  ras])er  ^Fansker  and  Abe  Castleman.  Castle- 
man  was  an  intimate  friend  of  James  Tvoliertson.  and 


112  The  Backward  Trail. 

had  reiiuiined  with  him  through  all  the  vicissitudes  of 
the  uew  s;ettlement.  lie  had  a  perfectly  trained  ear. 
lie  could  easily  distinguish  tlie  report  of  the  guns  of 
the  whites  from  that  of  the  Indians.  If  a  gun  were 
fired  in  his  hearing,  he  could  even  say  whether  it  was 
Mansker's  "Xancy''  or  the  rifle  of  some  other  settler. 
When  he  went  out  to  search  for  signs  of  Indians,  the 
settlers  could  rely  on  his  re})ort,  no  matter  how  dim 
the  trail-  ilohammed  could  walk  across  a  sand-bar 
and  leave  no  track;  C'astleman  could  pass  through  the 
trackless  woods  as  noiselessly  as  a  cat  creeping  upon 
its  prey.  lie  could  distinguish  between  the  hoot  of 
the  owl  and  the  best  imitation.  If  the  least  uncertain, 
he  was  cautious  enough  to  take  no  risks,  though  he 
never  neglected  an  opportunity  to  satisfy  himself,  so 
great  was  his  passion  for  adventure,  so  little  did  he 
regard  danger.  lie  gave  one  distance  where  he  was  not 
quite  satisfied  with  his  judgnnent.  "It  was  in  the  dusk 
of  the  evening.""  said  he.  '"Tlie  imitation  of  the  large 
bird  of  night  was  very  perfect,  yet  I  was  suspicious. 
The  woo-woo  call  and  the  v.oo-woo  answer  were  not 
well-timed  and  toned,  and  the  l)al)el-chatter  was  a  fail- 
ure; and  more  than  this,  I  am  sure  they  are  on  the 
ground,  and  that  won"t  begin  to  do.  'r"ll  see  you."  says 
I  to  myself,  and  as  I  approached,  I  saw  something  of 
the  height  of  a  stump  standing  between  a  forked  tree 
which  divided  near  the  ground.  "Well,  I  know  there 
can  be  no  stump  there;  I  jmt  ^Betsy'  to  my  face — 
that  stump  was  once  a  live  Indian,  and  he  lay  at  the 


Kiij.ED  Thkir  Men.  113 

roots  of  those  forketl  cheslmil.^.  And  if  lie  Wiia  ever 
buned,  it  \\a^  nut  far  olf." 

Among  tlie  tragedies  enaeted  almost  daily  in  W-^o, 
Ids  immediate  relatives  did  mn  escape  Iniieliery.  To 
retaliate,  in  Augnst  of  that  yeai'  he  raised  a  nnmijer 
(d'  volunteers,  resolving  to  make  a  lillle  iiuursion.  'Wn 
of  his  comrades  turned  had;  after  ivaching  the  Ten- 
nessee in  ])ursuit  of  Indians,  as  (len.  liohertson  pro- 
Idhited  scouting  ])arties  from  erossing  it.  (astleman 
■with  only  live  othei-s,  all  dressed  and  painted  as  In- 
dians, erossed  the  river  helow  Nitkojack,  the  ceh'ljraled 
Indian  town,  and  c-ontinued  th.eir  still-hunt.  They  fol- 
lowed the  trace  leading  to  AN'ill's  Town,  several  miles 
below.  Traveling  ten  or  twelve  iniles,  they  diseoveied 
an  Jndian  camp.  It  was  c(un posed  of  foi'ty  or  fifty 
Creeks — a  war  ])arty  on  the  way  to  plunder  the  settle- 
ments. The  Indian.^  were  eating,  and  as  Castleman's 
men  were  disguised,  nn'stook  them  for  friends.  Castle- 
man  was  ealled  the  'T'^ool  \A'arrior"'  hy  all  the  Indians 
who  knew  of  his  recklessness,  and  his  temerity  in  this 
instance  ]irovcd  that  the  sohi-ifpiet  was  somewhat  ap- 
))licahle.  'J'he  whites  were  moj-e  than  a  hundred  miles 
from  home,  in  strange  woods,  and  greatly  out-num- 
bered. 

'J'he  party  a])]iroached  the  Indians:  then  jiausing 
when  within  a  few  ]iact's  of  the  cam]».  raised  their  ltuus 
and  fired.  Castleman  killed  two.  and  each  (d'  the  others 
one.  Naturally,  the  intreiiedity  of  the  act.  and  the 
fallinir  of  seven  of  their  men  so  suddeidv.  conf(Uinded 


114  The  Backward  Traii,. 

the  savages;  and  before  they  could  recover,  the  whites 
had  retreated  and  made  good  their  escape  into  the  thick 
undergrowth.  They  arrived  safely  at  the  station  six 
days  afterwards. 

On  another  occasion,  Castleman  was  sent  out  to 
seai'ch  for  traces  of  Indians,  as  it  was  rumored  that 
they  had  threatened  another  invasion.  lie  took  up  his 
route,  and  going  half-bent,  his  eyes  on  the  alert  for 
traces  of  the  enemy,  ho  reached  the  war  trace  perhaps 
sixty  miles  from  Xashville.  This  was  in  IT 92.  At 
that  distance  he  discovered  traces  of  a  large  body  of 
the  savages,  and  hastened  home  to  warn  the  settlers. 
The  latter  lied  at  once  to  the  stations  for  protection. 
In  addition  to  what  he  had  seen  on  tlie  war  trace,  he 
discovered  that  the  camp  of  Black  Fox,  which  had  for 
some  time  been  on  the  site  of  Murfreesboro,  was  de- 
serted, and  construed  this  to  be  an  indication  of  danger. 

When  Castleman  returned,  to  be  doubly  sure  four 
other  scouts — Clayton,  Gee,  IJains  and  Kennedy — were 
sent  otit  to  spy.  The  first  two  never  returned,  having 
been  killed,  though  it  was  thought  lliat  they  had  gone 
only  farther  away  than  Iiains  and  Kennedy.  The  latter 
came  in  l)y  Buchanan's  station,  rei)orting  there  that 
there  were  no  Indian  signs  to  be  found.  The  people 
upon  this  information  felt  relieved  and  Ijegan  return- 
ing to  their  homes. 

B>uchanan's  station  was  defended  by  only  about  fifteen 
gun-men.  Guards  had  been  put  out,  as  there  was  still 
some  uneasiness.     At  midnight  on  September  30 — only 


Buchanan'vS  Station.  115 

a  lew  lioiut?  al'ler  llic  lepuiL  of  I\aiii.s  and  Kuiiiil(1_)  - 
lliuru  ua*  aii  alarm  <^ivijii  llial  the  Indiaub  wire  aljuul 
lu  attack  Lhu  i'ort,  their  appiuacli  ljL'iii<j,-  suspected  \)y 
[he  running  of  friyiitcned  tattle.  .So  .steallluly  had 
they  approached,  that  tlicy  were  not  discovered  until 
within  ten  paces  of  the  pahsiidesl  John  ^Iciiory,  the 
sentry,  iired  at  them,  when  tlie  Indians  began  pouiing 
voUey  after  vt)lk'y  into  the  h)g  walls.  Others  altempied 
to  set  lire  to  the  Iniildings.  One  of  them  climbed  to 
the  roof  with  a  torcii,  but  v.as  shot,  falling  to  the 
ground,  he  coniinued  his  elforts  to  lire  the  statioii,  wlien 
another  shot  killed  him. 

It  was  seen  that  the  attaching  party  was  unusually 
large  from  the  re}iorts  of  their  guns,  and  very  few  })er- 
sons  in  the  station  thought  escajie  from  massacre  pos- 
sible. After  an  hour  or  so.  the  Indians  retired.  It 
was  afterwards  learned  thalit  thei'e  wei'e  seven  hundred 
warriors  })resent,  mider  the  leadi'rship  of  John  Walls 
— four  or  live  hundi'ed  Creeks,  two  hundred  Cherokees, 
aiul  thii'ly  or  forty  Shawnees.  Xext  morning  it  was 
found  that  th.ree  Indians  iiad  l)een  killed,  and  later, 
that  seven  others  had  been  wounded — John  Watts,  shot 
in  both  thighs.  White-^Mai;  Killer,  Dragging  Canoe's 
brother,  OwTs  son,  a  young  buck  from  I.oohoul  Moun- 
tain and  two  others  fi-om  Running  Walei"  and  the  Creek 
nation.  Out  on  the  ground  neai-  the  foil  were  ])ickcil  up 
a  luimher  of  ])i])es,  swords,  hatchets,  and  hudgots  of 
Indian  ariicles.  as  well  as  a  handkerc-hief  and  mucca^in 
belonging  to   Gee   and   Clavton.   which    were   evidence 


ii6  Thk  Backward  Traii^. 

llial  lliusu  tcuuls  IurI  buL'ii  killed  and  tlieir  belongings 
laken. 

The  savages  left  the  comniuniiy  without  making  an- 
olher  attaek.  tSonie  years  later  tlie  Indians  explained 
ihat  they  were  surprised  at  the  resistanee  made;,  and 
supj)osed  thai  their  attaek  was  e-\j)ected  and  that  sol- 
diers were  still  organized  read}'  to  defend  the  settle- 
ments. 

It  is  })resunied  that  C'astleman's  judgiiient  was  gi'ii- 
crally  received  as  good  after  this  alfair. 

Knoxville  is  one  of  the  most  iloui'ishing  cities  oJ 
'i'ennessec\  and  has  long  been  interesting  from  the 
stand])oint  of  history.  tSiiiiated  (,\i  the  Tennessee  river, 
covei'ing  what  were  once  v^'ooded  hills  and  valleys  that 
made  ideal  hiding-places  for  savage  people,  and  con- 
taining half  a  hundred  bi'idges.  it  is  also  one  of  the  most 
picturesque  jtlaccs  in  ,\mciica.  In  its  limit.?,  on  one 
of  the  neglected  streets,  stands  the  ancient  cajntol  of 
the  State:  in  the  beautiful  court-luuise  ]iark.  and  facing 
Gay  street,  is  th.e  monument  to  Jolm  Sevier,  glimmer- 
ing in  the  fii'st  rays  of  the  lising  sun  and  l)athed  in 
its  wine-like  glow  in  the  evening:  near  the  corner  of 
two  streets  that  ai'e  now  rrircly  distui'bed  biy  the  din 
of  tlio  bir~iness  ]K)i'tion  of  town,  arc  ihe  pTaves  of 
"William  Tllount  and  his  vife;  and  in  the  suburl)s.  on 
a  hill-slo])o  whoso  ])eace  i-  intensified  in  summer  by 
the  tiidx'ling  of  criw  bielh  and  made  more  solemn  in 
winter  by  the  dirgcful   winds,  may  be  seen   the  plain 


K.Nu.wii.i.j;  1''ui;m)]:i).  117 

two-room  collagL'  wiiicli  wa.--  lliu  carl}  Iidiiic  (jI  Aincr- 
iea"s  iiiosl  (jclcbralfd  i'eiiialf  I'ovelisl,  i-'raiices  ilodgson 
liunicll.  The  lounUcr  of  ihis  cii\  was  James  While. 
He  was  a  soldier  of  ihe  revoluiionar}'  war,  a  memher 
of  ihe  House  of  Ji!e|iresenlaUves  of  ihe  lerriloi},  and 
S])eaker  of  ihe  seiiale  afler  llie  lenilory  Itecame  a  Slate. 
This  was  about  lliu  exleiil  of  his  public  service.  In 
11  !<"^*  While's  small  luil  |)i"o>})ci'ous  scnlciiuMii  invited 
the  localioii  of  llic  si-'ut  of  ihc  Teri'iloi'ial  ucx  cniiiicnt, 
and  he  laid  olf  llic  lown  in  sixly-l'our  lot.-  and  named 
the  phue  for  ]Major-(icneral  Jleiuy  Knox.  Scerdaiy  of 
\\'ar  under  Wasliini^ton.  Liovcriior  niouni's  iii>l  abode 
there  after  his  a]tiKiinlment  was  in  a  lot:"  cabin  siuiatcd 
on  a  knoll  helwcen  the  }»rcsent  nnivei'sily  and  ihe  river. 
As  it  \\as  the  seat  of  govei'iinirnt.  and  consich'rril  gen- 
erally well  guarded,  the  Indians  did  not  often  venture 
to  i.ttack  Knoxville,  thouirh  their  di']ii'edations  were 
cai'ried  on  near  by  for  some  yeai's  after  it  ^\•as  founded. 
Jhit  in  ]'/.)'.]  a  body  of  a  thousand  Chcrokees  and 
Creeks  decided  to  attack  and  ])lun(h'r  tlie  town.  While 
the  attack  was  not  made,  owin<;'  to  the  fact  that  the 
]ii'inci]ial  chiefs.  .lohn  A\'aits  and  Dimble  ifead.  leai'ned 
that,  their  ]»lans  were  ju'dbably  suspected  by  ihe  citi- 
zens, and  antici]iatinL;-  a  stron_u-  defense,  the  Knox- 
villians  eoiiceived  one  (if  the  most  (h'sperate  schemes 
to  ])revent  the  fall  of  the  plac-e.  They  numbei'ed  only 
alMuifc  foi'ty  fljihtinu'  men.  among  them  being  White. 
Thev  decidc(l  io  re]iair  to  a  ]V)int  (Uit  frnm  the  fnrt. 
wlu'i'e   the   Tn(hans   would    ])i'obably   a]»])ear:    wait    until 


ii8  The  Backward  Trail. 

the  enemy  were  in  gunshot  range,  then  fire  with  as 
cai'ei'ul  precision  as  possible,  and  fiee  to  tlie  station  to 
make  a  final  stand.  The  Indians,  having  marched  in 
the  direction  of  Clinch  river  after  nias*acreing  the  in- 
mates of  Ca vet's  station  and  giving  over  the  idea  of 
making  an  assaidt  on  Knoxville,  the  whites  were  not 
allowed  an  opportunity  to  make  a  practical  test  of  their 
heroism;  but  their  determination  was  a  splendid  ex- 
ample of  the  courage  of  the  frontiersmen,  the  eulogy 
of  which  docs  not  Ijccome  stale  and  unprofitable  no 
matter  how  often  indulged  in. 

Andrew  Jackson,  though  he  afterwards  became  one 
of  the  most  conspicuous  characters  in  American  his- 
tory, did  not  come  prominently  into  notice  until  after 
the  most  trying  days  of  the  ])ioncers.  ITe  had  been 
aj>poinled  pul)lic  prosecutor  for  the  Western  District 
uf  Xorth  Carolina,  and  arrived  in  Xashville  in  1^88. 
During  tlie  first  seven  years  following  his  arrival,  he 
trawled  from  Xashville  to  Jonesborough — a  distance 
of  two  hundred  and  eighty  miles — twenty-two  times 
in  the  di^^charge  of  his  official  duties.  In  1^91  oc- 
curred till'  romance  wiih  which  his  name  is  connccied 
whenever  it  is  mentioned — his  marriage  to  ]\Irs.  Iiaelul 
Kobards.  Slie  was  a  daughter  of  Col.  .John  Donelson, 
one  of  the  earliest  settlers  of  the  Cumboi'land  region, 
and  was  first  married  to  Lewis  Eobards.  of  Kentucky. 
This  union  proved  unhap]n-.  and  Tiol)ards.  in  the  win- 
ter of  lTi»0-91.  applied  to  the  Legislature  of  Virginia 


Andrew  Jackson.  119 

i'ui-  a  divorce.  On  tlie  news  rcachinrr  Xaslivillu  iliaL 
llie  divorce  had  been  granted,  Mrs.  iioljarcLs  and  .lack- 
son  were  married  al  ^'alcliez.  It  was  afterwaids 
learned,  however,  that  the  couple  had  not  been  di- 
vorced until  some  inunths  latci',  and  then  ])y  judicial 
action  in  Ivenliicky.  Jackson  and  the  lady  wcie  re- 
married. While  the  slownos  with  which  news  was 
jiassed  from  settlement  to  si-ll lenient  in  those  days, 
not  to  mention  the  uncertainty  of  its  transmission,  thus 
placed  Jackson  and  Ins  wife  in  an  av.kwaid  i)o&ition,  the 
ndslako  was  sensibly  condoned  by  the  public.  But 
Jackson  had  inade  enemies,  political  and  private,  and 
they  harped  on  the  unfortunate  circumstance  to  injure 
him.  There  are  few  instances  on  record  of  a  more  de- 
voted love  of  woman  than  that  of  Jackson  for  his  wife, 
and  the  fact  tends  to  soften  the  judgment  of  those  who 
liave  no  admiration  for  the  austere  man.  JUit  his  love 
embittered  at  tlie  time  it  blessed  his  life,  the  taunts  of 
his  enemies  involving  Iiim  in  dr.els  and  I'ancorous  dis- 
cussions, lie  bi'ooked  no  unkind  refo'ence  to  his  wife, 
and  Ids  life  was  often  risked  in  defense  of  her  good 
name.  While  he  was  elected  to  Congress  in  K9fi,  and 
had  served  the  counti'y  in  other  cajiacities  l)efore  the 
end  of  the  eighteenth  centuiy.  it  was  after  the  limes 
with  which  these  stories  have  to  do  that  his  most  im- 
portant distinction  Avas  achieved. 


CHAl'TKE  XI. 
j:x]jikance  axd  iiEi{ois.\r  of  fjioxtier  women,  and 

SO.ME    INSTANCES    I'ARTICULARIZED. 

Tlie  fact  tliat  tlic  wives,  molhers;,  daughters  and  rel- 
atives of  the  pioneers  aeeoni])anied  the  latter  into  the 
Teiiiicssee  wildei'ness  is  cnuug]!  to  cause  us  to  regard 
tlicni  as  heroines.  ]\Iany  of  tlie  women,  however,  were 
foix-cd  to  face  conditions  wliich  called  forth  physical 
prowess  and  courage  that  were  reniarkahle.  Xot  a  few 
were  carried  into  ea[itivity,  too.  and  kept  in  a  hondage 
worse  tlian  death  Ijy  the  tomahawk  would  have  heen. 

]\li's.  Wilham  Bean  occupies  a  unique  })lace  in  local 
liistory.  l>ut  few  lines  are  devoted  to  her  family, 
tliougli  C'a])tain  AA'illiam  Ikan  was  one  of  tlie  first  set- 
tlers of  tlie  State,  and  their  son.  Russell,  was  the  first 
v.hilc  child  horn  in  Tennessee.  It  has  heen  a  long  time 
since  Bean  hrought  his  dutiful  wife  from  Pittslyvania 
r'nuniy.  A'irginia.  and  huilt  a  cahin  by  the  Walauga; 
and.  yet.  when  we  consider  the  incident  which  left  him 
for  awhile  desolate,  a  touch  of  the  sadness  which  was 
his.  and  which  lingers  like  an  echo  among  the  hills,  is 
transferred  through  the  vicissitudes  of  the  years  to 
aifect  the  sympathetic  reader  of  to-day. 

She  mav  have  been  fair  enough,  this  Alrginia  mat- 
(120) 


Mrs.  William  Bkan.  121 

ron,  to  have  inspired  the  })oet's  cadencod  compliiiieiil;  a 
dt'tffcndaiit,  doubliess,  oi'  J'liiiili.sh  aii(es;tor.s,  with  grace- 
ful step,  and  of  wliuni  it  niiglit  he  said,  "'One  l<K)ked 
lier  lia])])}'  eye?  williin.  and  lieai'tl  llie  nightingales." 
Forsaking  all  otlieis,  siie  I'amo  with  her  liusliand  lu  llie 
wilderness— doubting  the  wisdom  of  tlu?  in(jvenient, 
])erhaps,  hut  duplicating  in  her  suhniission  to  him  the 
constaiiey  of  J\utli. 

When  their  child  was  born,  the  wilderness  became 
less  a  wilderness.  Their  cabin  was  a  rude  all'air,  bui 
the  little  one  transfigured  the  surroundings.  The  ten- 
der greeting  of  their  j)a rents  uei'e  not  heard  in  the  new 
home,  but  the  prattle  of  the  baby  was  sweet;  and  no 
music  the  hushand  ever  heard  could  compare  with  the 
mother's  voice  as  she  sang  it  to  sleep.  Seven  years 
went  by.  Other  families  came  and  found  homes  in  the 
neighberhood,  until  somewhat  of  the  (jld  social  ])leas- 
ures  of  the  communities  they  had  forsaken  were  se- 
cured. A  fort  had  been  built,  and  the  cabins  and  lieUls 
were  more  numerous  and  extended.  The  ])igs  rum- 
maging among  the  leaves  for  mast,  the  cows  lowing  at 
the  lot  bars,  the  cackle  of  the  chickens  out  in  the  fields. 
and  the  song  of  the  laborer  following  liis  rude  ])low 
through  the  furrows,  gave  tlie  neighborhood  a  home- 
like appearance,  and  denoted  thrift.  lUit  all  these 
things  did  not  esca]ie  the  Indians'  notice.  They  in- 
cited their  jealousy  and  fear,  and — instigated  by  the 
agents  of  the  cause  of  England,  for  the  revolution  had 
commenced — they  invaded  the  settlement  in   K7().  and 


122  The  Backward  Trail. 

Mrs.  Bean  was  captured  by  iLeni  and  caxried  into  cap- 
tivity. There  is  no  record  of  the  husband's  eil'orts  to 
recapture  her,  but  of  course  these  were  not  lacking. 
xVfter  she  was  taken  into  captivity  Mrs.  Bean  was  con- 
demned to  death.  She  was  bounds  taken  to  the  top  of 
one  of  the  mounds,  ajid  was  about  to  Ije  Ijurned,  when 
Xancy  A\'ard,  an  Indian  woman,  bljcrated  lier  and  had 
her  restored  to  her  friends. 

This  was  only  one  of  the  many  acts  of  Xancy  Ward 
showing  her  friendliness  to  the  whites,  and  <he  merits 
our  gratittide.  In  Ijchalf  of  inorcy,  she  often  felt  justi- 
fied in  betraying  the  contem})lated  attacks  of  her  peo- 
ple on  the  settlements.  She  was  an  Indian 
prophetess,  and  a  niece  of  the  reigning  vice-king, 
Atta-Kulla-Kulla,  of  the  ('herokee  nation.  Her 
father  was  a  British  dUicor.  She  was  born  about  ITIO. 
James  Eobertson  visited  her  in  K12.  and  descril)ed  her 
as  a  woman  "queenly  and  commanding."  and  her  lodge 
furnished  in  a  style  of  l)arl)aric  splendor.  She  mttst 
have  possessed  remarkalile  traits  to  have  wielded  au- 
tocratic influence  over  the  Cherokees  when  they  knew 
she  was  friendly  to  the  whites.  liven  the  king.  r)c(m- 
ostota.  had  to  give  way  to  her  in  ])eaee  or  war.  and  her 
sway  was  evidenced  in  the  case  of  Mrs.  B)ean. 

About  four  years  after  ^Irs.  Ik'an's  release,  another 
female  was  ea})tured.  this  time  from  the  sectioii  of  the 
Cumberland  country  called  Xeelly's  Bend.  This  was 
a  daughter  of  Captain  Xeelly.  lie  was  one  of  the  earl- 
iest settlers  there,  and  as  Indians  had  not  for  some  time 


MiS.S    XiCICIJ.y'S    CAI'TrKK. 


123 


l)i't_'ii  soi'ii  ill  llic  lU'iglilxirliood.  lie  ic^olvcd  lo  caiiii) 
in  the  U'lid  aiul  l'xih'I  iniciil  in  uiakinu'  salt.  He  was 
assisted  In'  several  ui  llie  whites  of  Maiisker's.  nut  far 
t'niHi  tln'  station,  and  had  one  td'  liis  (hui;^hlers  to  ac- 
eonipanv  him  to  pei't'orni  tlie  tlulies  of  eouking  for  tlie 
men  who  were  eiiltiiig  wood,  lillin;^-  the  kettle  with  sul- 
piiiir  water,  and  keepini:'  u\>  lires.  Xcelly  hunted  huf- 
I'alo  and  deer  to  ivvd  the  hands.  One  day,  hein^'  niueh 
fati-iiied  after  a.  long  hunt,  h.e  returned  to  the  camp, 
threw  down  Ids  deer,  and  lay  down  to  rest.  His  daugh- 
ter skinned  one  of  the  \enisoii  hams  and  prepared  it 
for  supper.  The  dogs  had  gone  with  the  lal)orers,  and 
Xeelly  was  soon  asleep.  Passing  in  and  oid  of  the  lent, 
uiieonseiotis  of  danger,  slie  was  startled  to  hoai'  the 
firing  of  guns  neai'  hy.  Her  lather  raised  himself  half 
lip.  then  fell  hack  dead.  Jndians  entered  the  camp, 
and  after  seizing  her  father's  gun  and  ])ow(K'r  horn, 
took  her  captive.  The  murderers  a])parently  thought- 
they  would  he  pursued,  and  did  not  tai'ry  at  the  cam|> 
any  longer  than  it  took  them  to  gather  ilie  few  articles 
tlu-y  di'enied  of  use.  An  Indian  held  her  hy  either  arm 
and  eompt'lled  her  to  run.  They  traveled  all  night,  and 
the  girl  was  iinally  carried  lo  the  Creek  Nation.  It  is 
])]oasant  to  lranserihc>  the  assurance  of  Ihitnam  that 
"after  several  years"  captivity  she  was  released — ex- 
clianged,  mari'ied  rc]nital)ly  in  Kentucky,  and  madi'  a 
good  and  exemplary  wife  and  Christian  mother." 

Sometiuie   hefore    KOT)    the   home    of   Colonel    "^I'ds- 
worth.   also    of   the   Cumherland    settlement*,    wa.s   at- 


124  The;  Backward  Trail. 

tacked  in  his  absence,  and  all  of  Ms  family  killed  except 
his  daughter.  In  the  summer  of  1795  he  heard  that 
the  Creeks  who  had  taken  his  daughter  captive  were 
desirous  of  exchanging  prisoners;  and  receiving  a  pass- 
port went  in  search  of  her.  The  information  received 
from  him  on  his  return  gave  an  idea  of  how  captives 
were  treated. 

His  daughter  was  not  carried  at  once  to  the  nation, 
but  the  savages  retained  her  in  the  woods  at  their  camp 
on  the  Tennessee  river  for  months,  finally  ca^'rying  her 
into  the  nation.  The  Spanish  agent  there  had  offered 
her  captors  four  hundred  dollars  for  her,  desiring  to 
send  her  to  school  at  Xew  Orleans.  At  the  camp  on  the 
Tennessee  she  was  compelled  to  cut  wood,  make  fire~^, 
and  l)ring  water;  and  upon  her  arrival  in  the  nation  she 
pounded  corn  and  made  meal,  and  was  whipped  and  in 
other  respects  treated  as  a    slave. 

These  are  only  a  few  recorded  cases  out  of  inany. 
Haywood  occasionally  refers  to  this  state  of  affairs.  One 
of  his  rambling  paragraphs  is  that  in  K93  "'many  of 
our  people  were  in  slavery  with  the  Creek  Indians,  and 
were  treated  by  them  in  all  respects  as  slaves."  In  the 
Cayelegies,  ]\Irs.  AVilliams  and  child;  Alice  Thompson, 
of  Xashville;  ]\[rs.  Caffrey  and  child,  of  Xashville.  In 
the  Hog  villages,  ]\Ir.  Brown,  of  the  district  of  ATero;  in 
the  Clewatly  town.  ]\riss  Scarlet;  in  the  White  Grotinds. 
]\riss  Wilson,  of  the  district  of  AFcro,  and  a  l)oy  and  girl; 
in  the  Colummies.  a  boy  of  five  years  of  age:  at  the  Big 
Talassee,  a  bov  eight  or  ten  vears  of  age,  and  a   girl 


FiOlIMNK    HkKOISM.  125 

seven  or  c'ij,^liL  years  of  a;ie;  in  the  l'()C()niala-]iii.s,-e,  a 
l)oy  twelve  or  ihii'leeii  years  of  auc;  in  the  Oakfiiskec, 
a  lad  lifleen  years  of  auc;  in  llie  K'ed  (Jroimd,  a  man 
called  Jol.n;  in  C'a^auders,  a  l»oy  whose  a^'e  and  name 
were  not  known;  in  Lesley  Town,  a  ymm;,''  woman  who 
was  re])eatedly  threatened  with  (h'alh  for  refiisin;z  to 
look  with  favor  on  Lesley's  son;  and  in  some  other  town 
were  ^Irs.  (roeket  and  her  son.  The  list  of 
women  and  children  taken  into  captivity  from 
the  earliest  settlement  to  IMM)  wotdd  numher  hun- 
dreds. The  fate  of  the  eajttives  was  sad  indeed;  women 
were  ft)rced  often  to  hec-oine  the  wives  of  the  sava^'^es 
who  had  slain  their  relatives;  Ijrothers  and  sisters  were 
sepai'atcd  until  they  lost  all  knowle(l<:e  of  each  other. 
Some  were  e.\chani:-ed  after  months  or  years,  while 
others  never  saw  their  friends  a<,aun.  It  mav  he  well 
enou<:h  for  our  ]»eace  of  mind  that  we  know  so  little 
of  the  ca.])tives  and  their  lives,  of  their  heartaches  and 
])hysical  sidrerin<i's. 

Of  scores  of  instances  of  the  heroism  of  the  women 
of  the  settlements,  oidy  a  few  have  heen  iireserved. 
The  case  of  !Mrs.  Buchanan,  when  seven  hundred  sav- 
a^res  attacked  Enclianan's  station,  near  Xashville.  in 
1T!I2.  is  a  notahle  one.  On  that  ot'casion.  when  there 
were  only  iift(H'n  men  to  defend  the  station,  she  fired 
repeatedlv  at  the  etiemy.  and  liad  other  women  to 
moidd  hullets  or  make  a  display  of  men's  hats  to  de- 
ceive the  Indians  as  to  the  nnmher  of  men  pre.-ont. 
She  afterwards  said  she  had  killed  huflalo  and  deer, 


126  Thk  Backward  Trail. 

and  if  her  aim  had  been  as  true  as  slie  endeavored  to 
make  it,  some  Indian  must  have  suifered  from  the  gun 
in  her  hand  at  the  time  of  the  attaclc. 

Houston's  station  was  erected  in  East  Tennessee, 
about  six  miles  from  the  little  town  of  Maryville,  and 
was  occupied  by  the  families  of  Houston,  McConnell, 
McEwen,  Sloane  and  Henry.  In  1T85  it  was  attacked 
by  a  party  of  Indians  one  hundred  strong.  They  had 
been  robbing  and  murdering,  and  were  elated  over 
their  success.  They  made  a  vigorous  assault,  having 
no  doubt  about  reducing  the  fort.  Ijut  some  of  the 
best  riflemen  on  the  frontiers  were  in  this  station,  and 
they  were  greatly  aided  by  the  women.  The  efforts  of 
Mrs.  McEwen  were  especially  praiseworthy.  As  the 
gallant  defenders  loaded  and  discharged  their  guns 
with  rapidity  she  melted  lead  and  run  the  bullets  for 
the  gun-men,  kee})ing  them  fully  su])plied.  A  Ijullet 
from  without  passed  between  the  logs  at  one  time, 
going  close  to  her,  and,  striking  the  wall,  rolled  upon 
the  floor  at  her  feet.  Picking  it  up  instantly,  she  car- 
ried it  to  her  husband,  with  the  cool  rerpiest.  'TTere  is 
a  ball  run  out  of  the  Indians'  lead:  send  it  l)ack  to  ihem 
as  quick  as  possible."' 

In  1787  Captain  Gillespie  lived  in  his  cabin  on  the 
French  Broad,  twelve  miles  from  I)um])liii  station.  J  lis 
family  consisted  of  himself,  his  wife  and  a  child.  One 
morning  he  left  home  for  Dumplin.  not  suspecting  that 
the  Indians  were  in  the  neighborhood.  The  day  before 
he  had  been  burning  brush  on  a  little  clearing,  and.  as 


Mks.  Gillkspik'vS  RrsK. 


127 


fort.imr  would  liiivc  il,  llic  smoke  was  slill  ri.-iii^  llic 
riioniiii<_;'  he  U't't  liMinr,  in  plani  view  of  llic  lioiisf.  A 
small  hand  of  savages  came  by,  and,  lindin^  .Mis.  (idlcs- 
j)i(j  unprolectcd,  cnlcred  llic  liou.-c.  They  mi;:lit  not 
have  intended  eommittini!;  miii'dcr;  i)r(jl)ahly  ihcy 
thought  only  of  |)lunder  and  annoying  .Mi's.  (iilles|iie; 
but  Iho  settlers  had  learned  to  expect  no  meix-y  from 
the  red  men. 

One  of  the  intruders — a  burly,  fei'ociousft'llow — took 
out  his  scalping  knife  and  drew  it  acro.-s  his  bare  arm 
as  ii  to  whet  it.  Then,  appi'oacliing  the  cradle  where 
the  infant  was  sluinberin;;-,  he  indicated  with  his  finger 
a  line  arouml  its  head,  as  if  having  an  intention  to 
scalp  it.  Anothci'  Jndian  wlu;  ha.d  entered  stood  look- 
ing on,  his  grim  featui'es  showing  that  lie  was  enjoying 
the  molher's  agony  immensely. 

For  a  moment  she  stood  as  tliough  paralyzeil;  then 
springing  to  the  door  and  looking  towards  the  clearing, 
caHed  out: 

"White  men,  come  home!     Indians!       Indians!" 

The  warriors  were  disconcerled  by  the  sti-atagem, 
dashed  from  the  cabin  toward  the  sjiring  and  di.-ap- 
l)cared  in  tlie  cane.  ^Irs.  (iilles])ie  took  her  babe  in 
her  arms,  left  the  house  and  iled  in  the  direction  of 
Dumplin.  She  was  not  fidlowed.  and  after  going  sev- 
eral miles  met  her  hushand  on  his  return. 

On  tlie  night  of  ^lay  'i~).  17  0.1.  (Jeorgi'  ^lann.  who 
lived  above  Knoxville,  heard  a  noise  at  his  stable,  and 
left  his  house  to  ascertain  the  cause.    Discoverinu'  noth- 


128  The  Backward  Trail. 

ing  unusual,  he  started  to  return,  when  he  was  inter- 
cepted by  Indians  and  wounded.  Fleeing  to  a  cave  a 
short  distance  oil',  lie  was  ihagged  fortli  and  l^illed. 

Mrs.  ]\lann  had  heard  the  report  of  the  guns,  and 
tlie  footfalls  of  the  savages  pursuing  her  husband. 
Listening  intently,  she  soon  heard  the  tranij)  of  feet 
approaching  and  the  low  words  of  the  Indians,  who 
seemed  to  be  unusually  careless  of  the  noise  they  were 
making,  thinking,  perhaps,  that  there  were  none  to  fear 
in  the  house. 

The  rifle  was  taken  from  its  rack.  and.  leveling  it  at 
a  crevice  near  the  door.  Mrs.  !Mann  awaited  the  slay- 
ers of  lier  husband.  A  savage  juished  ()})en  the  door. 
She  could  see  in  the  uncertain  light  that  he  was  fol- 
lowed by  others.  The  children,  as  yet,  had  not  been 
awakened.  I'ulling  the  trigger  of  the  gun  held  steadily 
in  her  hands,  she  fired,  and  the  foremost  Indian  fell 
in  the  doorway.  There  was  a  s(-ream  from  the  ono 
just  behind,  and  it  was  evident  that  two  had  been  hit 
by  her  unerring  aim.  This  warm  reception  caused 
the  Indians  to  gather  up  their  wounded  and  leave 
the  house.  She  had  not  screamed  or  uttered  a 
word,  and  the  perfect  silence  must  have  impressed  the 
attacking  party  witji  tlie  supposition  that  there  were 
armed  men  within.  Before  leaving  the  place,  however, 
they  burned  the  barn  and  otitbuildings. 

"Granny"  Hays  lived  near  Donelson's  station,  cast  of 
Xashville.  She  was  an  elderly  woman,  and  was  one 
female  who  never  appeared  frightened  wdien   the  sav- 


"Granny"  Hays.  129 

ages  were  around.  She  was  devoid  of  fear.  She  lived  in 
a  small  cabin  alone,  but  sometimes  had  as  a  sort  of 
charity-guest  a  lame,  half-wilted  young  fellow  named 
Tim  Dunbar.  One  day  he  was  out  in  the  giirden,  when 
some  Indians  lired  at  him.  lie  ran  into  the  house,  e.\- 
elaiming  that  he  was  killed,  leaving  the  gate  and  do(jr 
open.  "You  fool!  you  are  not  hurl,"  eried  (jranny 
Hays.  "Get  up  and  take  your  gun  and  follow  ine.  lie 
quick,    before    they  have  time    to  reload    their    guns."' 

Making  the  frightened  dolt  follow,  she  went  out  to 
the  gate  and  literally  "shelled  the  buslies,"  where  the 
Indians  had  been  seen;  tl.cn  re-entering  the  cabin  and 
barring  the  door,  they  reloaded  and  awaited  a  near 
ai)proach  of  the  savages.  The  latter  kept  out  of  range, 
firing  occasionally  at  the  house. 

Some  one  saw  the  fire  of  Donelson's  station,  which 
was  destroyed  on  this  invasion  of  the  Indians,  and  had 
men  from  Caffrey's  fort,  near  the  mouth  of  Stone's 
river,  to  hasten  to  the  relief  of  the  old  lady.  It  re- 
qTiired  considerable  pursuasion  to  get  her  to  go  to  a 
more  secure  place. 
9 


CHAPTEE  XII. 

THE    PASTIMES    OF    THE    SETTLERS^    AND    THEIR    WHOLE- 
SOULED  HOSPITALITY. 

Despite  the  dangers  surrounding  them,  and  the  in- 
numerable hardships  embarrassing  everywliere,  the  set- 
tlers managed  to  get  not  a  little  enjoyment  out  of  ex- 
istence. Tlicre  were  clouds  in  their  skies,  but  there 
were  also  sunbeams  to  break  through.  They  culti- 
vated a  spirit  of  extracting  pleasure  from  the  turmoil, 
in  obedience  to  a  demand  of  naiure  for  some  relaxation. 
And  after  all,  does  not  enjoyment  lie  much  in  the  will? 
If  there  are  those  who,  though  having  ears  and  eyes, 
refuse  to  hear  and  see,  to  paraphrase  Scripture,  cannot 
tbe  reverse  Ije  true  also? 

"By  lookintr.  we  raay  see    the    rose;    and,  listening,  liear  a 
song." 

The  chase  and  hunt  have  afl'ordcd  pleasure  since  the 
days  of  Ximrod,  the  majority  of  men  not  being  act- 
uated by  the  thoughts  of  the  versatile  Louise  Imogen 
Guiney  to  the  effect  that  "our  father  Adam  is  said  to 
liave  dwelt  in  peace  with  all  the  Ijcasts  in  his  garden. 
And  there  is  no  evidence  in  the  ^losaic  annals  that  it 
was  they  who  became  perverted,  and  broke  faith  with 
(130) 


Old-timk  Cooking.  13 r 

man,  Mmitv,  iiuui  liiiuself,  in  llie  birlli  of  iiiv<  moral 
uglmcsj-,  .-fl  up  ihu  halfi'ul  divi;rioii,  e.-iiaiiged  these 
estimable  fiieiulj,  and  then,  unto  everlasting,  jjursues, 
maligns,  subjugates,  and  kills  the  beings  braver, 
shrewder  and  uioii'  iniuxent  than  he."  The  hunt  and 
ehase  were  open  to  the  selllri's.  Where  we  grow  enthu- 
siastie  in  hunting  small  game,  they  eould  enjoy  the 
bringing  in  of  deer,  bear  and  bulTalo,  not  to  menticm 
the  wolves  and  panthers  that  were  as  plentiful  as  squir- 
rels. If  there  was  a  log-rolling  or  house-raising  or 
wedding,  one  eould  step  out  and  in  a  few  hours  return 
with  a  deer  or  half-dozen  turkeys  for  the  oceasion. 
rioeks  of  a  hundred  turkeys  would  sometimes  be  n^en 
within  a  few  yards  of  the  eabins.  Our  foremothers, 
aeeoi'ding  to  an  early  and  reliable  ehronieler,  eould  not 
hv  e.xeelled  in  })reparing  this  wild  game.  "There  were 
no  eooks  to  he  named  in  the  same  day  with  them  when 
the  cooking  of  bulTalo  tongue,  bear  meat  and  venison 
is  mentioned,"  he  enlhusiastieally  exclaims.  "'And  the 
good  housewife  in  those  days  rightfully  gloried  in  the 
baking  of  the  hoe-cake,  ash-cake,  and  Johnny  cake. 
Then,  after  frost,  when  opossums  and  persimmons  were 
ri])e,  and  any  one  mentioned  good  eating,  the  univei'sal 
exclanuuion  was,  'Oh  ho:  don't  talk!''" 

There  was  relief  from  low  spirits  in  making  and  bail- 
ing wolf-traps,  and  in  building  turkey-pens  when  the 
game  had  grown  wary,  although  some  of  those  thus 
engaged  were  not  iufrequcntly  shot  and  killed  hy  lurk- 
ing Indians.     Bears  and  wolves  for  rears  after  the  first 


132  The  Backward  Trail. 

settlenieni  of  Middle  Tennessee  were  found  in  great 
numbert;,  especially  in  the  liarpetli  liills,  ten  or  twelve 
miles  from  A'asliviUe.  The  hear  hunt  was  laborious  and 
dangerous,  but  hunters  and  their  dugs  were  very  par- 
tial  tu  It. 

There  were  parties  in  which  the  young  })eople.  with- 
out reference  to  previous  standing  in  the  social  eir- 
cJes  they  had  gone  in  in  \'irginia,  the  Carolinas  and  the 
older  colonies,  found  much  recreation  and  real  enjoy- 
ment. What  mattered  the  seamy  lloors  and  bear-oil 
lights,  the  uncouth  costumes  and  the  scant  furniture? 
There  were  fiddling  and  dancing  and  refreshments  at 
these  functions,  and  good  will  and  jollity  prevailed. 
'■'Xever  wore  the  story,  the  joke,  tlie  song  and  the 
laugli  better  enjoyed  than  upon  the  hewed  blocks,  or 
puncheon  stools  around  ilio  roaiing  log  tire  of  the  early 
"Western  settler,"  oljserves  Kendall.  "Tlie  lyre  of 
Apollo  was  not  hailed  with  more  delight  in  primitive 
Greece,  tliau  tlie  advent  of  the  first  hddler  among  the 
dwellers  of  the  wilderness;  and  the  polished  daughters 
of  ihe  I^ast  never  enjoyed  themselves  half  so  well,  mov- 
ing to  the  music  of  a  full  band,  upon  the  elastic  floor 
of  their  ornamented  l)all-rooni,  as  did  the  daughters  of 
the  emigrants.  keei)ing  limc  to  a  self-taught  fiddler  on 
the  hare  earth  or  the  )uinehcon  floor  of  the  primitive 
log  cal)in."' 

SliDoting-matches,  throwing  the  tomahawk,  jump- 
ing, boxing  and  wrestling,  as  well  as  foot  and  horse 
racinL^  were  also  indulercd  in. 


Thk  Sociai,  Visit.  133 

l^orhaps  the  soiial  visit  yielded  as  iiiueli  pleasure;  as 
all}  uliier  pasliine,  lor  men  are  pri'-eiiiiiieiil  iy  -deial  by 
iialuro,  and  in  llic  wilderness  llie  people  were  niueli 
like  those  at  (Jrigslty's  Station — eeleliiated  !;y  James 
Whiteonib  Kiley — ulieie  every  neighbor  was  dear  a.s  a 
relation,  and  ihc  lalehstring  was  always  liangiiiu  iVoni 
the  door! 

These  visits  were  doubtless  nioie  enjoyable  in  the 
evenings,  after  the  day's  work  was  over.  Some  large 
family- — ])arents  and  a  train  of  ehildren  of  all  ages — 
might  be  seen  to  fasten  the  door  and  walk  down  a 
lonely  hiiie  in  the  direction  of  a  small  eabiii,  whose 
window,  with  (jpeii  shiitti'r  and  greased  paper-  screen, 
glowed  a  blossom  (jf  the  dark.  On  the  way  they  might 
have  heard  the  snarl  of  a  wild  animal  among  the 
gloomy  woods,  while  nearer  an  owl  would  slowly  llap 
hy,  sna])ping  its  l)eak  as  it  ])asse(]  over  tlieii'  heads.  As 
they  neared  their  destination,  the  1)ay  of  the  house  dog 
rang  out,  or,  what  was  more  pi'ohable.  the  yelp  of 
hounds  would  sound  in  a  confused  clioi'us.  while  the 
head  of  the  house  came  out  and  yelled  to  the  canines 
to  be  gone. 

Arriving,  a  semi-circle  would  be  drawn  al>out  the 
s])acions  fii'e-place.  more  fuel  would  he  thrown  upon 
the  already  roai'ing  fire,  and  a  bit  more  bear's  oil  added 
io  the  nidely  ini])rovised  him]).  The  I'uddy  blaze  would 
drive  tlie  lurking  shade-ws  out  of  the  I'oom.  or  make 
ludicrous  silhouettes  on  the  i)lain  log  walls,  or  light 
uj)  the  old  flint-lock  rifle  resting  in  a  rack  above  the 


i34  The  Backward  Trail. 

door.  Maybe  the  hunk  of  venison  or  bear  meat  in  the 
2-)ot  iianging  in  tlie  chimney  wa.s  getting  near  enougli 
(lone  for  tlie  morrow's  meal  to  be  talven  from  tlie  fire 
by  tlie  garrtilous  housewife  and  put  on  a  shelf,  while 
the  husband,  with  growing  enthusiasm,  explained  how 
the  game  was  taken.  The  news  was  louehed  upon. 
What  was  the  latest  from  Washington's  army?  So 
C'ornwallis  had  l)een  caugli':  nap])iug.  bad  be?  Had 
Sevier's  last  raid  into  the  Indian  countr}-  proved  enough 
to  cow  the  murderous  savages?  J  low  was  the  Cum- 
berland settlement  progressing?  The  victory  of  King's 
Mountain  was  due  to  the  courage  of  Xollicbucky  Jiick 
and  Shelb}'.  was  it  not?  Had  no  tidings  l)eeii  In'ought 
in  recently  by  the  scouts  relative  to  Walls'  or  Hang- 
ing Maw's  inlenlions?  The  V\'aiauga  ])eo])le  had  proved 
too  much  for  Old  Abraham's  and  Dragging  Canoe's 
warriors,  had  they  not? 

After  awhile  the  g(jssii)  of  the  settlement  would  be 
retailed:  or  at  the  rcfpiest  of  tbe  cbildren.  now  di'aw- 
iiig  neaicr  tlu'ii'  elders,  stories  of  adventures  would  be 
told,  of  baii'bi'eadili  esc;!|)es.  of  individual  instances  .if 
valor  wbere  Indian  or  l)ear  oi'  ])antliei'  was  ])itted  against 
a  white  man:  or  what  was  not  infrequent,  a  tbrilling 
tale  of  spoolss  was  narrated,  whereat  tlu^  small  list- 
enei'P  would  cast  fui'tivc  glances  bebind  tbeni  and 
edge  in  between  tbe  fire  and  tbe  old  folks. 

The  coming  of  emigrants,  or  their  passing  through 
the  settlements  io  some  remoter  post,  was  an  event 
of    iinpoitance    and    even    pieasui'c:    foi'    tbey    brought 


Border  Hospitality.  135 

news  from  the  distaiiL  and  older  spots  of  eivilizalion, 
and  added  sLrengtIi  lo  llic  new.  On  this  point  Uainsey 
says;  "The  new-comer,  on  liis  arrival  in  ihe  setdc- 
ments  was  everywhere  and  al  all  limes  greeted  with 
cordial  welcome.  Was  he  without  a  raiiiily?  lie  was 
at  once  taken  in  as  a  croi)[)(n'  or  a  farming  hand,  and 
found  a  home  in  the  kind  family  of  some  settler.  Had 
he  a  wii'e  a.nd  children':'  'J'hey  were  all  asked,  in  hack- 
woods  phrase,  'to  camp  with  us  till  the  iieighhors  can 
put  up  a  cahin  for  you.'  The  invitation  accepted,  the 
family  where  he  stops  is  duplicated,  hut  this  incun- 
venieuce  is  of  short  duration.  The  host  goes  around 
the  neigliborhood.  mentions  the  nrrival  of  the  sti'aiigers, 
apj)oints  a  day,  close  at  lumd,  for  the  neighhors  to 
meet  and  provide  them  a  home.  After  the  cal)in  is 
raised  and  the  new-comers  are  in  it.  every  family,  near 
at  liand,  bring  in  something  to  give  them  a  stait.  A 
]iair  of  ]>igs.  a  cow  and  a.  calf,  a  })aii'  of  all  the  domestic 
fowls — any  su])p]ies  of  tlie  necesv«aries  of  life  whicli 
tliey  have — all  arc  l)r()Ught  and  jjresented  to  the  be- 
ginners. If  they  have  come  into  the  settlement  in 
the  s])ring,  tiie  neiglil)ors  make  anothei'  frolic,  and 
clear  and  fence  a  field  for  them."' 

Xo;  not  entirely  without  their  honest  |)leasui'es — in- 
cluding the  feeling  of  joy  rising  in  the  relleetion  that 
it  is  more  blessed  to  give  than  receive — were  the  fore- 
]iarents.  There  was  a  time  to  smile  as  well  as  to  weep; 
recollections  of  triuni])h  as  well  as  memoi'i(^s  of  dc^feat; 
instances  of  Tfeaven's  blessings  to  liid  bo|M>  live  during 
the  years  of  disaster  and  the  long-suffering. 


CIlAPTKrv  XIII. 

EARLY      KELIGIOLS      SEX'iniEXT,      AND      THE      EAn'HEUL 
WORK    OE    THi':    .MIXISTEU.S. 

JJislio])  Asljurv,  wlio  \va?  greatly  interested  in  the 
spiritual  welfare  of  the  pioneers,  wrote  in  his  diary  in 
1797:  '"When  I  reflect  that  not  one  in  a  hundred  came 
here  to  get  religion,  Init  rather  to  get  plenty  of  good 
land,  I  think  it  will  he  well  if  some  or  many  do  not 
lose  their  souls." 

The  })i'eva]('nt  evil  which  the  ministers  refer  to  as 
the  lust  of  greed  was  suflieient  to  make  one  think  of 
the  8cri])tural  averment  that  we  cannot  serve  hoth  God 
and  mammon.  Yet  there  is  little  douht  that  under 
their  affliction  the  settlers  were  more  prone  to  yearn, 
in  the  v.'ords  of  Mrs.  Ward,  to  feel  themselves  in  some 
grasp  that  sustained,  some  hold  that  made  life  more 
tolerahle  again.  Instinctively,  it  might  he  said — even 
if  there  had  not  hcen  that  deep  religious  fervor  which 
had  for  some  years  pervaded  the  communities  from 
which  they  emigrated — the  ]ieople  as  a  general  thing 
meditated  on  the  Creator  and  found  comfort  in  Tlis 
promises.  Putnam  records  the  fact  that  the  women, 
especially,  of  the  Cumljerland  country  were  well  edu- 
cated in  the  doctrines  of  revealed  religion;  they  brought 
(136) 


The  Camp-meeting.  137 

their  Bibles  wiili  llioni,  and  ofl'd'ed  ihe  first  ))riiy.T> 
in  ihu  wilderiifss.  Tiierc  were  also  many  pious  woiiicii 
and  men  in  the  eastern  selllenicnls. 

liut  a  lime  eame  early  in  their  history  when  all 
lukewarmness,  all  lorj)t>i-,  would  ,i:ive  way  to  a  wave  of 
reli^it)us  zeal  scarcely  eijualed  .-inte  the  days  ol'  I'cn- 
teeost.  The  great  revival  of  1<S()(),  whieh  may  he  eon- 
sidered  an  epoch  in  the  all'aiis  of  the  Southwest,  was 
nearin<r. 

Jt  is  not  overste])ping  the  truth  of  liistory  to  say 
that  the  camp-meeting  wa.s  one  of  the  greatest  factors 
in  foi'warding  the  civilization  and  moral  devehjpmciil 
of  the  West,  especially  of  Tennessi'e  and  Kentucky,  and 
imjjressing  reverence  for  institutions  having  theii' 
origin  in  the  diviiie  fiat;  that  have  withstood  the  as- 
saults of  the  iconoclast,  the  sneers  of  the  irreverent, 
and  the  encroachments  of  the  foreign  element  seeking 
to  (hscard  some  of  the  wisest  and  holiest  boons  pi'of- 
fered  mankind.  To  them  as  well  as  the  ministers  who 
faced  death  and  every  manner  of  hardshij)  for  the 
pioneers,  is  due  the  reverence  with  which  we  hold  the 
Sabbath  with  its  ""silent  theater,  the  houses  from  whwh 
the  sounds  of  music  are  l)anished.  the  empty  streets, 
the  calm  stillness  of  the  dav" — our  Sundav.  which  the 
laborer  will  do  well  to  hold  against  the  insidiou.-  elTorts 
of  trade  and  commerce  if  he  values  the  rest  which  (_iud 
knew  in  the  beginning  his  nature  wonld  riMpiii-el 

One  hundred  and  thirty-eight  heads  of  Tenm^s-eo 
families  had  nnited  in  calling  Kev.  Charles  Cuminings 


l3^  The  Backward  Trail. 

to  come  and  settle  among  tliem  as  pastor,  and  he  min- 
istered to  the  people  thii't3--]iine  years,  lie  was  a.  Pres- 
byterian, and  was  the  lirst  man  who  ever  2)reached  in 
Tennessee.  He  often  carried  his  rifle  to  church  with 
him,  seeing  that  it  was  well-pi-imed  as  he  set  it  d(jwn 
conveniently  near  the  jjiilpit  before  announcing  liis 
text.  '"1115  first  years  in  this  wild  fronliur,""  says 
McDonnold  in  his  history  of  Cumberland  Presbyterian- 
ism  in  the  West,  '"were  tracked  with  the  blood  of  Indian 
battles.  He  fought  often,  and  had  many  narrow  es- 
capes." 

The  country  called  Cuinbcrland  lay  partly  in  Ten- 
nessee and  partly  in  Kentucky,  its  southern  boundary 
being  the  dividing  ridgu  between  C'undierland  ami 
Duck  rivers  in  Tennessee,  and  its  northcj'n  bouiulary 
Green  river  in  Kentucky.  Auotlier  Presl)ylerian, 
Thomas  B.  Craighead,  was  tlie  fii'st  pastor  who  settled 
in  this  section.  He  was  followed  by  Rev.  Ijeujamin 
Ogden.  of  the  IMetliodist  Church.  One  of  Craighead's 
sayings,  according  to  ]\IcI)nnnold.  was:  "1  woukl  not 
give  this  old  handkerchief  for  all  the  experimental  re- 
ligion in  the  world."' 

13ut  the  doi)arturc  of  Pev.  James  ]\lc(! ready,  who 
would  now  be  called  an  evangelist,  and  the  ari'ival  of 
the  ^relhodists,  Ijiought  about  the  camji-nu'etings  and 
finally  the  great  religious  re\ival.  wherein  experimental 
religion  was  given  nuicli  weiglit. 

^IcDonnold  says  that  il  i-  strange  tliat  mere  con- 
jectural accounts  of  the  oi'igiu  of  eamp-meetings  should 


Skaso-ns  oi"  Soi.iCMNiTV.  139 

be  L'XC'lu.-ivt'ly  piilili.-lird,  win  11  w  r  li;i\(!  lln,'  lii(j.--l  I'l - 
liaMf  iKHoiiiiis  I'lwiii  I'VL'-w i; II L-.- .-(-.-.  ilc  avi_'i'.<  iliai  i!ic 
iirsl  t;uii|>-iiiu(  iiiig  in  C'hrijlcJidi'Di,  ihal  was  appoijib  d 
aiul  ink'iukd  for  a  caiii|>-iiiL'cliiiL;,  wa.-  al  (ia.-pai-  JJivci" 
cliuirh,  ill  KeiiliulsV.  Al'lci'  Uu.-,  caiiip-iii<.eliiig.-  bf- 
caiiic   lb(j  oixkr  v(  llic  day. 

Tlic  farly  laiiiii-iiiceliiig.s  were  wiihuul  lenis  or  oiIrt 
.^bt'lkT  (-'.\cc])t  ibf  wagoiLS.  J.aUi',  jK-uple  built  doulilc 
big  cabins,  wliicb  were  .<lili  calKd  tciil.-,  for  tbeir  fami- 
lies and  visilors.  So  far  as  |ios>ibk'  jicojile  coolsed  ibc 
jirovisions  liefoi-e  tln'V  icfi  boine,  and  \\\v\  moved  to 
eamp  cxjieeting  to  remain  (hiring  tlie  meeting.  All 
wlio  attended  were  fed  freely  Campers  would  go  out 
into  the  ci'owd  and  nnike  a  ]iulilie  iinitalion  for  al!  to 
come  and  eat.  The  camps  wei'e  sujijilied  with  straw, 
both  on  the  ground  and  on  the  bed  seairolds.  One 
tent  wa.'  used  by  the  ladies,  and  aiioilier  by  the  gen- 
tlemen. A  field  of  grain  with  water  running  through 
it  WIS  seeurt'd,  and  the  luuves  of  tlie  visitors  turned 
into  it.  A  vjtsi  sl'.eller  covered  with  boai'ds  was  built 
and  seated  for  a  iireaching  ]ilaee.  'J'his  also  had  straw 
foi'  a  floor.  In  the  intervals  lieiween  ])ublic  si'rviee-  it 
was  the  ustiad  (u-toni  to  go  ahme,  or  in  small  groups 
to  secret  jirayer  in  an  adjacnt  fore-t.  (bjiitlenien  wei-e 
not  allowed  to  go  upon  the  ladies"  gi'ounds.  And  in 
all  tlio  early  days,  before  raili'oads  came  along,  these 
meetings  were  not  only  as  orderly  as  tmy  other  kind 
of  meetings,  but  they  wei'(>  geni^rally  seasons  of  un- 
]iaralle1ed  -olemnily  ai^.d  umMpmled  nioi-al  grandeur. 


140  The  Backward  Trail. 

At  these  revivals,  the  attendance  was  large,  the  in- 
terest intense.  Peojjle  came  for  miles  to  cUil'erent  camp- 
grounds in  Tennessee,  and  remained  for  days.  '"A 
peculiar  2)hysical  manifestation  accompanied  these  re- 
vivals, popularly  known  as  the  jerks,"'  observes  Phelan. 
"They  were  involuntary  and  irresistible,  ^\'hen  under 
their  influence,  the  suil'erers  would  dance,  or  sing,  or 
shout.  Sometimes  they  would  sway  from  side  to  side, 
or  throw  the  head  backwards  and  forwards,  or  leap, 
or  spring.  Generally  those  under  the  influence  would 
at  the  end  fall  upon  the  ground  and  renuiin  rigid 
for  hours,  and  sometimes  whole  multitudes  would  be- 
come duml)  and  fall  2)rostrate.  As  the  swoon  passed 
away,  the  sufferer  would  weep  piteously,  moan,  and  sob. 
After  a  wliile  the  gloom  w(juld  lift,  a  smile  of  heavenly 
peace  would  radiate  tlie  countenance,  and  words  of  joy 
and  rapture  would  Ijreak  forth,  and  conversion  always 
followed.  Even  the  most  skeptical,  even  the  scoffers, 
who  visited  these  meetings  for  the  yuirpose  of  showing 
their  luwdihood  would  be  taken  in  this  way."" 

This  wave  of  religion,  called  the  great  revival,  be- 
ginning in  179"  under  -James  McGready.  rescued  Ken- 
tucky and  Tennessee,  and  through  them  the  "West  and 
South,  from  French  infidelity. 

The  recollections  of  Jolin  C'arr  are  interesting  and 
valuable.  lie  was  a  pioneer  and  historian,  and  lived 
during  the  times  he  has  described,  l)eing  one  of  the 
settlers  on  the  Cumberland  when  the  attack  was  in 
1792  made  on  Buchanan's  Station  bv  .John  Watts  and 


Religious  Pkkjudices.  141 

others.  Tliu  )iiiiiislei"s  wuru  110  heartl.s  in  ihose  cLiys, 
ciecording  lu  Carr.  "i  liave  lilile  doubt,  ""  he  says, 
"had  iht'V  li.scn  in  tlie  pulpit  in  that  inaiiiier  (with 
hfiU'ds),  iuo.<t  ol"  the  congregation  would  have  left  the 
house.""  There  was  niueh  prejutlice  against  jewelry. 
The  jieojile  were  ignorant  of  the  early  ^lelhodist  elass- 
nieelings.  An  itinerant  held  services  at  the  cabin  of 
C'arr"s  ])a.rents,  closing  with  a  class-meeting,  in  which 
the  people  were  each  (questioned  relative  to  spiritual 
matters.  The  jireacher  had  drawn  a  heiich  acr(xss  the 
door,  and  was  proceeding  with  his  examination,  when 
he  drew  near  Thomas  Hamilton,  who  had  fought  dur- 
ing the  revolutionary  war,  and  was  one  of  the  bravest 
men  in  the  settlement.  Hamilton  grew  nervous,  looked 
anxiously  toward  the  back  of  tlie  house,  where  his  hat 
was,  and  then  in  the  direction  of  the  chimney.  He 
finally  sprang  to  his  feet,  climbed  out  the  chimney, 
mounted  his  horse  and  rode  to  his  home  five  miles 
distant,  a  thoroughly  scared  man. 

On  another  occasion  there  was  to  be  a  ball  in  the 
settlements.  It  was  well  advertised,  and  the  young  peo- 
])k'  looked  forward  to  it  with  ])leasurc.  Eev.  James 
O'CuU  was  in  the  neighborhood,  heard  of  the  contem- 
]ilatod  ball,  and  managed  to  an'ive  at  the  house  where 
it  was  to  take  ]ilace  and  at  the  ])roper  date.  Tie  asked 
permission  of  his  host  to  preach,  and  turned  the  ball 
into  a  revival. 

Among  tlie  earlier  ministers  wlu")  came  to  Tennessee 
besides    Bishop    Asl)ury,    Craighead,    Cummings    and 


142  The  Backward  Traii^. 

Ogden,  were  Saiuuel  JJocilv^  Learner  Jilackmau,  Jiar- 
nabas  Mclleury,  i'eter  Mabcie,  iiezukiah  Baleli,  Samuel 
Carrick,  James  Sliaw  and  Jcunes  lialch.  Their  labors 
were  ceaseless,  and  the  fruits  of  their  exertions  corres- 
pondingly good.  Gilmore  insists  liiat  the  majority  of 
the  first  settlers  were  ■"harusheir"  Uaptists;  but  the 
advent  of  the  Presbyterian  and  Methodist  ministers 
soon  changed  this  condition,  if  it  really  existed. 

Few  more  picturesque  figures  than  that  of  the  fron- 
tier preacher  show  through  the  haze  of  the  years,  ^'t-■ry 
plainly  dressed,  but  having  due  regard  for  cleanliness; 
open  and  frank  of  cotmtenance,  with  a  strength  and 
kindness  blended  in  his  face,  strange  to  see  in  a  person 
of  his  unairected  manner — but  really  not  so  hard  to 
account  for  when  we  reflect  that  while  he  toiled  through 
the  jostlings  of  existence,  his  thouglits  liad  comnuinion 
daily  and  hourly  with  the  Creator.  As  he  came  and 
went,  he  had  a  smile  for  tlie  children,  and  no  man 
could  point  through  long  years  of  service  and  self- 
dennil  to  one  word  of  his  that  purposely  left  a  sling, 
to  one  act  that  would  lead  men  to  think  he  was  not 
fit  to  step  u})  from  earth  iiilo  the  ]iresence  of  Deity. 
A  little  impractical.  mayl)e,  in  business  affairs,  and 
pinched  sometimes  for  the  necessaries  of  life;  l)ut,  as 
has  been  beautifully  said  by  Dr.  "Watson,  of  'Weelmn 
]\raclure,  it  was  all  for  mercy's  sake.  For  his  mind 
was  turned  toward  saving  souls,  and  not  on  business; 
his  labor  was   friven  to  his  Maker,   and  men   did   not 


TiiK  Krontiivr  Prkaciikr.  143 

then  i»ay  iu<.  lliougli  llu'V  i(-';tli/A(l  ihal  lit-  wa.s  one  of 
tliu;;u  ui'  w  hum  llic  uurld  ua^  Jiul  worthy.  A.s  he 
}ta^.-('(l  I'rom  .-r^laUoii  to  ,-lalioii,  the  wihhjriics.s  Sfoiiied 
lo  hueuiuu  hjighU'i-;  and  a.s  he  knell  in  ihe  humble 
homes  of  the  jioor  and  jirayed  in  I  he  sineerity  of  his 
soul,  there  eame  hack  to  ea.rth  .-onie  .-endjianee  oi'  J-]den 
out.  where  the  ealtle  strayed  on  the  hills,  where  the 
hird.s  twittei'ed  in  the  eanes,  where  the  runnel  llowed 
murniuringly  to  the  river  like  a  lia]>]iy  child-soul  jour- 
iieyin<;-  I'roni  the  dawn  of  life  to  the  twilight  of  eternity, 
and  where  the  few  (.)ld-fashioiUM|  i-oses  in  the  little  yai'ds 
leaned  in  the  hreeze  that  hui-i-ied  through  the  vales 
and  over  the  hill.'^  to  ca.ress  them  with  invisible  but 
woman-soft  hands.  (iiving  each  person  a  cordial 
liandshake,  smiling  sunlight  into  the  hearts  of  the 
children,  dispensing  in  Ids  humble  way  the  bread  of 
life — "the  spiritually  indispensable,*'  a.s  Carlyle  has  it — 
visiting  the  sick  and  pointing  the  faltering  soul  heaven- 
ward that  it  might  lean  on  the  lilvcrlasting  arms,  he 
a])pears  oiie  of  the  noblest  works  of  God. 


'  CHAPTER  XIV. 

THE  TRIBES  CLAIMING  A  KIGIIT  TO  LANDS  AT  THE  FIRST 
SETTLEMENT^    AND    THEIR    I'RESENT    STATUS. 

Like  truth,  reason,  when  crushed  to  earth,  will  rise 
a.gain;  and  if  selfishness  or  ire  has  been  too  strong  for 
our  nobler  instincts,  reason  will  reproach  us  with  the 
fact  when  calmness  returns.  Since  the  last  tribe  of 
Indians  gave  up  all  interest  in  Tennessee  soil  and 
souglit  other  hunting  grounds,  we  have  had  time  to 
reflect.  The  present  generation's  prejudices  are  not 
awakened  by  the  personal  recoiled  ion  of  Indian  butch- 
eries, and  the  coolness  required  for  the  dealing  out  of 
justice  exists.  Was  the  treatment  which  the  savages 
received  always  what  it  should  have  been?  Cannot  in- 
stances of  dishonest  dealings  and  inhumanity  on  the  part 
of  the  whites  be  pointed  out?  The  earlier  ]iioneers 
of  America  in  some  cases  sowed  the  wind  in  broken 
promises  and  injustices;  and  the  generation  of  pioneers 
coming  after  them  rca])ed  the  whirlwind  of  savage  hate 
and  resentment.  '•'And  the  liarbarous  people  showed  us 
no  little  kindness,  for  they  kindled  a  fire,  and  received 
us  every  one,  because  of  the  present  rain,  and  Ix-cause 
of  the  cold,"  writes  Paul  of  his  experiences  on  the  island 
(144) 


Origin  of  the  Indians. 


145 


of  Melita.  'riuisc  who  canic  IVdin  Muropc  to  ilit  New 
World  WLTe  ^iriuTiillv  iin't  as  kindly  hy  llic  Indian.-;  ami 
vet  the  laltei  leanicil  thai  .-(■l(i>l!nc>.-  and  diii>litiiv 
were  common  to  llie  adxaiui'  ;:iiard  oi  Aniei'ican  civil- 
ization. 

To  tlu'  loviT  of  lilxTty  ilionLihts  of  the  pai-uiion  of 
I'olaiul  aron.-c  the  n ■.-(.■  ntmmt  ;..-  of  a  juM'sonal  wrontr; 
but  sadder  than  this  is  the  di-iving  of  a  proplu,  houcNrr 
iK'cessary  for  progress,  from  their  country.  Thou;^h 
the  Indians  liave  had  no  hi>iorian  to  proeiil  their  siile 
of  tlie  controversy  or  herald  their  lie>t  deed.-,  the  world 
will  adnut  that  their  tiiore  than  half  (d'  a  century's 
war  against  the  whites  was  suhlime  in  its  ilesperation 
and  deternnned  coura>:e.  The  most  cntliu>ia.-tic  ad- 
herent of  the  great  mi.-si(ui  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  jicoph,' 
must  sec  something  pathetic  in  the  elTorts  of  the  In- 
dians, who  saw  treaties  disiegarded.  and  continuous 
encroachments  made  on  domains  elaimi'd  hy  them:  who 
yet  were  not  deterred  from  going  to  war  for  tlieii-  rights 
though  tliey  i^new  that  defeat  and  }>rohalily  extinction 
would  be  the  result. 

The  origin  of  the  American  Indians  has  been  a  mat- 
ter for  debate  for  centuries.  While  their  language  fails 
lo  connect  them  with  any  A.-iatic  families,  their  inodes 
of  life  and  implements  are  thought  to  connect  them 
with  the  earlier  races  of  the  f'astern  continent  who>e 
relics  are  found  in  mounds  ;)iul  shell  hea})s.  And  this 
is  about  all  that  has  lieen  proven  after  centuries  of 
investigation  and  theorizing. 
10 


146  Thk  Backward  Trail. 

At  the  period  of  the  Ih'&t  exphjrutiuu  of  Tennessee, 
vague  and  indelinile  ehiinis  lo  eerlain  porlions  ui'  ihe 
count I'v  were  made  by  a  nunil)er  of  Indian  tribes,  but 
none  of  it  was  lield  by  pernuu.e]!!  occupancy,  "except/' 
as  l\anisey  ex])lains,  "tliat  section  embraced  Isy  the  seg- 
ment of  a  circle,  of  whicli  tlie  Tennessee  river  is  the 
peri[)hery,  from  tlie  })oint  wliere  it  intersects  the  Xorili 
Carolina  line  to  that  wliere  tliis  stream  enters  the  State 
of  Alabama."  The  Cbei'okees  wei'c  settled  there.  The 
Sluiwuees,  Chickasa  ws,  Choctaws  and  C  herokees  claimed 
other  portions,  their  lines  being  merely  ideal  ones. 

Tlie  Shawnees,  according  to  the  early  l-"rench  ex- 
plorers, were  said  to  assert  <!  I'ight  to  the  lower  Cum- 
berland: but  tliiy  were  even  then  a  wandering  ])eo]»le. 
The  Indians  informed  (ien.  James  liobei'tson  on  one 
occasi(m  that  ab(nit  h)()-"J  the  Shawnees  o(-cupied  the 
counti'y  from  the  Tennessee  river  to  where  Xasliville 
stands,  and  ]K)ilh  of  the  Cundierland.  but  that  about 
1"00  they  emigrated  north  and  were  received  as  a 
Avandering  tribe  by  the  Six  Nations.  Another  accomit 
was  given  by  a  Cherokee  c-liiet'.  Idtlle  Corn  Planter,  in 
1]]'L  lie  said  that  the  Shawjiees  renuned  a  huiub'ed 
yeai's  before  from  the  Savannah  river  to  the  Cumber- 
land by  jiermission  of  his  j)eo])le.  but  about  1  TOO  the 
Cherokees,  assist(d  by  the  Chickasaws.  di'ove  them  from 
the  CundxM'land  valley.  About  K11.  when  ]M.  Charle- 
ville  o])en('d  a  ^tore  on  the  site  of  Xasliville.  he  is  said 
to  have  occui)ied  their  old  fort.  Tlie  fact  that  there 
Avcrc  no  Indians  around  Xasliville  when  the  first  settlers 


IxiHAx  Claims. 


147 


c-aiiic  is  atioiiiiiL'd  I'uv  ui\  tlic  tlicdi-y  that  the  ti'ilM'< 
had  \)vc\\  II'viiil;'  In  (lt>liiiv  each  dlhcr  aiiil.  ln'CDiiii;:,:; 
alVaid  to  iiu'cl,  ahaiidoiitd  llic  cniiniiw  ll\  i(h'iK-r,-  were 
Vl'I'v  miiiiri'(iii>  thai  a  dcii,-c  ]:ii]iulai  mii  liad  micu  (ic- 
CUJiicd    the    SiTlidll    >aid     [n    ha\l'    hrcli     ihr    hollli'    (d'    [\\\' 

tShawiicc's.  W'lu'ii  the  lir.-l  .^cUlcr-  aii-i\cd  on  liie  (uiii- 
))C'i-h.ii(l.  liicv  I'naiid  hy  r\('r\-  hi.-liiii;-  ^piiiiu'  ci.'llicliuns 
of  j^Tavis.  "iiMde  in  a  |iailicuiar  way."  (■.\[>!aiii.-  Ilay- 
w  ()(-(!,  "wilh  ihc  lu'ad.-  iiKdiiiud  mii  iht-  .-idc-  anti  I'et  I 
s^l<lll(•^.  t\]r  wlidlc  cDvoi'c'd  willi  a  ^Iranun  o'i  mold  and 
(iirt  ahonl  {■\i:]]\  or  u-n  imJKs  dec)*.""  In  additi(jn  lo 
thcM-  \\-i;.-  I  he  aiip'/arant  I'  ol'  walls  intdosinu'  anciini 
jialiilations.  .\  jiai'!  oi'  \\\v  handils  inl'cslin;^-  ihc  nai'- 
rows  of  the  'I't'iincssi'c.  niakln.L;-  war  ou  LaniLTi'anl.-  ami 
iia\  iu;ilors.  woix'  Sjiawni'i's. 

'idu'  Chirkas.iws  laid  claim  io  all  ih'j  tfn-iloi'v  in  K^  n- 
Uk-ky  and  'rcnncs.-co  Ivini:-  hetwccii  tlic  'rt'niU'.-.-i'e  and 
^ii-.-is,-i])]ii  rivals,  and  a  pMi'lion  norlli  (d'  llic  foi'iner, 
tlioni;h  they  had  no  .-rllloinfnts  in  llio.-e  >cclions.  Jn 
l]o'i  llu'ii'  waiaioi's  woi'c  oiimadcd  at  liai'dlv  li\'i'  hun- 
dre(]".  hnl  ilicy  wcrr  war-like,  and  uriit'i'ally  fiifiidh-  lo 
tlio  wdntcs.  Piondn,u-o.  a  (diief,  was  a  >tauncli  and 
irn-ioil  friend  of  the  eai'ly  seltlei's.  'Vlw  Choc-iaws  and 
C'hicka^a.w,-  are  lielieved  to  liavc  had  a  eomnion  o!iL,dn, 
as  tlieir  a|Mieai-a.nc-o.  laws  and  iraditions  ai'e  simjlai'. 

'i'lie  ( 'h(  i'ol<(  OS  wei'e  ]ieidiaiis  ihe  mo-t  iiowerfid  In- 
dia.n  natii'ii  in  tlie  South.  It  is  said  thai  at  one  time 
ihoy  had  .-ixty-foui'  jiiijudnn-  t<i\\"n-.  ainl  their  warrior- 
Avcif  esiiiuated  at  aho\e  six  tliousand.     Thev  wei'e  en- 


148  The  Backward  Trail. 

tiniiidly  at  war,  however — the  over-hill  towns  with  the 
northern  towns,  and  the  lower  ones  with  the  Creeks — 
and  became  eonsideral)ly  diminished  hefore  the  settle- 
ments were  he^aitn  on  Watauga.  J.ater,  the  frontiers  of 
Cieorgia,  "N'irginia.  and  >sort]i  and  ;South  Carolina  were 
grer.tly  distressed  hy  them.  'Jdieir  native  land  lay  ii});)?i 
the  Catawba,  the  Yadkin,  Keowce,  Tugaloo,  I'dint, 
Coosa,  Etowali,  on  the  cast  and  south,  and  on  a  nnmher 
of  {lie  trilnitarics  of  the  'J'cnncsseo  on  the  west  and 
no]'th.  They  were  a  inonntain  ])cople,  and  loved  their 
country  as  th.e  tra(htional  William  'I'ell  loved  his.  War 
was  a  I'assion  with  them:  hut,  when  they  took  to  the 
arts  of  j)eiu-e.  they  ]iiade  tl.e  most  ra])id  strides  in 
civilization.  They  claimed  that  ihey  dispossessed  a 
moon-eyed  ])co]!le,  unahle  to  see  hy  day. 

'J'he  .Muskogee  or  Creek  Indians  were  inveterate 
enemies  of  the  fii'st  scltlers  of  the  State,  though  they 
liad  no  settlements  within  its  houndaries.  and  were 
therefore  actuated  nuu'nly  hy  a  desire  to  ])lunder  or  1)y 
hali'cd  of  tlie  white  race. 

'I'hei-e  v.ei'e  (juile  a  numher  of  savage  chiefs  who  were 
justly  celehrated  for  gifts  tliat  would  have  elevated 
them  to  high  places  if  they  had  keen  identified  with 
civilized  communities,  l-'oresight.  diplomacy,  oratory, 
military  genius,  a.ll  these  h;;d  hrilliant  representation 
c\en  as  late  as  the  eighteenth  century. 

Cconostota  was  an  orator  as  well  as  a  warrior,  and 
was  head  king  of  the  C'herokees.  Xothing  is  known  of 
his  birth,  but  he  had  attained  the  au'e  of  manhood  in 


A  CiiivKoKia-;  King. 


149 


\','.'AK  aiul  wa.-  living  as  laic  as  1S()!),  l»ciii<,'-  ret'uiTcil 
1')  ill  a  U'lkT  (if  llial  datf  Iroiii  J{i'tiini  J.  .Meigs,  Jiidiaii 
ai'tiit,  as  "gruasv  old  OcoiiDSli.la""  who  would  iiilriidf 
on  his  studies  and  wail  fof  hours  over  his  deparUMJ 
great  iiess.  lie  was,  in  his  prime,  ol'  heixuleaii  iVaiiie, 
undaunted  eourage,  and  great  [diysieal  jirowess.  !!(' 
was  one  of  the  six  delegates  who,  in  ll^io,  visited  (leorge 
I!,  in  I'lnghmd,  heing  t'iglit  years  later  eleeled  head 
king  of  the  Cherokei'S.  lie  exerted  (les|i(.)tie  sway  iKjt 
oidy   over   his  own    [leople   hut    over   the    Creeks. 

Jle  oj»})ose(,l  the  treaty  oL'  K^."),  whereh}'  niueh  of  the 
territory  ol'  the  Indians  was  ceded,  and  made  an  elo- 
(jueiit  speech.  (.)\er-ruled,  he  signed  the  treaty,  hut 
said  to  Daniel  J>oone:  ■■^'oung  man,  we  liave  sold  you 
a  line  territory,  hut  1  fear  you  will  have  some  diHieiilty 
in  getting  it  settled."  I''(M'  yi-ai's  he  made  war  on  iIk? 
whites,  carrying  out    this   iiiijdied    thrt-at. 

i-"inally.  liis  nation  dethroned  him.  and  he  becaino 
an  inebriate.  For  neai'ly  thirty  years  lie  is  known  to 
have  wandered  aliout  a  homeles>.  weak,  hesotted  and 
despised  man.  licgging  provisions  and  drink,  though 
claiming  C'hota,  the  Cherokee  city  of  refuge,  as  his  home. 

'Die  vice  king.  .\tta-Kulla-Kulla,  or  the  J.illle  Car- 
])ente",  was  for  a  long  time  after  the  erection  of  Vnvl 
Londoun  a  friend  of  the  J-Jiglish.  lie  posses>ed  many 
fine  ti'aits.  At  tlie  time  of  the  butchery  of  the  chiefs 
left  as  hostages  in  l-'ort  Prince  (Jeorge,  as  narrated  in 
another  chapbM'.  a  number  of  whites  weri'  ,-till  in  the 
Indian  towns,  and   wduld   havc'  lieeii  imiuediatelv  slain 


I50 


Thk  Backward  Trail. 


if  nut  torlured  Id  death,  had  hu  nut  cunccaled  thcin 
until  tlieix'  wat  an  u])j)urtnnity  tu  e.<ca])L'.  lie  tlien 
iirgX'd  relentless  war  un.  the  settlements.  After  the 
massacre  at  the  Katy  liarlin  Jveserve,  he  saved  the  life 
of  an  uld  friend,  C'a|.)t.  Stnart,  who  was  held  hy  Oeonu- 
stuta  fur  the  jiurjiu-o  (;f  nianaiiing  the  cannon  taken 
at  Fort  J^oudoiin  and  training  them  on  the  defeiises  (jf 
the  whites.  A\'he]!  the  I'herokees  were  beaten,  he  was 
instrumental  in  hringing  about  the  peace  treaty,  lie 
lived  to  a  ripe  age. 

riumingo,  or  ^luuntain  Leader,  was  a  leading  Chicka- 
saw chieL  lie  was  during  his  last  years  one  of  the 
few  faitldul  friends  the  whites  had  amurig  the  Indians. 

Jolin  A\'atts,  a  Cherokee,  was  prominent  in  the  various 
onslaughts  on  the  settlements.  lie  was  (jne  of  the  most 
ti'eachorous  of  his  race.  While  enjoying  a  wide  in- 
fluence among  jiis  peo])le,  succeeding  in  ]'ai.-ing  large 
nuiidier-  for  ])lunder  and  revenge,  his  suc(-ess  fur  sunie 
reason  was  linnted.  In  nune  (.f  his  actions  did  anything 
occur  tu  draw  to  him  the  idea  uf  ■"iiohle""  as  Cuujier 
applied  it  to  the  red  man. 

Perhajis  Alexander  ]ircGillivray.  a  Creek,  was  t!ie 
greatest  uf  the  Southern  Indians  uf  llie  last  half  of 
the  eighteentli  centui-y.  He  was  a  half-breed,  educated 
at  Charleston.  Suuih  Carulina.  Dni'ing  the  struggles 
uf  llie  l^astt'rn  and  A\'estern  setllers  uf  Tennessee,  he 
wa<  gci'i'raily  tlieii'  eiiumy.  and  a  fi'iend  lA  Spain.  He 
had  eunsider;d)le  influence  among  all  tlio  t!'ibe.~.  and 
from  l^Sl  to  his  death  in   l.Iio.  uiie  eif  liis  hopes  was 


Mic.RATioN  ]}i;gi:n.  151 

lo  dcf^troy  \\\v  ('uiiihorlaiid  ( (muimnily.  lie  wa^  wiii- 
iiiiii;-  ill  his  iiuiniiur,  l)Ul.  dt'ci'iirul  in  lii<  rriuiid.-liiji-; 
WL'idtliy,  but  e-lmiy  to  the  squalid  lil'u  of  hi>  [x'dplc. 
J^acking  [hv.  iiK'a  oi'  ]iK)ral  rccliliidc  he  was  yul  now 
and  then  known  to  disjikiy  sui'in-isiiiL:'  Liciici'osity.  as  in 
ihe  I'ansoniiny  of  wliitu  |iri>oiu'is  and  I'cstoi-in,:^'  ihcni 
tu  lluir  friends.     \\v  died  a'    I'cn.--acohi   in    1^'.);^. 

As  pallu'tic  as  tlirir  ft)ni('st  with  the  wiiitcs  was  tlio 
Indians"  final  sul)niissi(»n  to  llu'  incvitahk — to  lircimc, 
t'.xiU'S  fri)ni  the  scenes  they  had  learned  to  love  and 
the  ,i;i'aves  which  held  the  hcnes  of  their  dead.  Soon 
aflei-  the  fall  of  i^towali  and  .\iekojack.  jio  doubt  there 
began  lo  be  cberished  a  very  strong  desire  to  einigi'ate 
to  other  wilds:  and  as  early  as  IVJO  a  few"  hunters  kd'i 
and  went  beyond  the  Mississipiii  I'iver.  In  their  desii'e 
to  migrate,  they  were  encouragt'd  by  the  government 
which  bad  men  like  James  Ko')ertson,  Silas  Dinsmore 
and  lieturn  J.  }.leigs  at  the  various  agencies  to  give 
flattering  snggestions  as  to  the  I'cgion  beyond  the  ]\[is- 
sissippi  and  lo  oiler  to  buy  the  lands  claimed  by  the 
Indians  in  Tennessee  and  on  its  b(U'dei's.  The  cxtin- 
gnishmcnt  of  their  titles  ajipeai'ed  to  be  one  of  the 
principle  policies  of  those  in  power.  Threats,  flattery, 
bribery,  finesse,  and  ai'guments  wei'e  brought  to  bear, 
until  at  last  contracts  were  '•(Uicluded.  the  Indians  sell- 
ing foi'  a  mere  song,  k'l'om  the  tone  of  "■ibe  gi'eat  argu- 
ment"— signed  July  10.  llilS.  bv  dairies  fiohei'tson. 
James  Stuart  and  I.achlin  ^Fcdntosh.  and  addressed  to 
the  conjmissioners  of  the  United  State.s  for  holding  a 


152  The  Backward  Trail,. 

treaty  witli  the  Cherokues— it  is  reasonable  to  infer 
tliat  if  the  latter  had  not  yielded,  force  might  idtini- 
ately  have  been  employed. 

Oconostota's  prophecy  in  1775  that  the  invader  would 
force  the  Indian  steadily  before  him  across  the  ]\Jissis- 
sippi  ever  towards  the  West,  to  find  a  shelter  and  a 
refuge  in  the  seclusion  of  solitttde,  was  being  fulfilled. 
Tiiose  triljes  whicli  relincitiished  their  titles  to  lands 
and  migrated  in  the  first  part  of  the  nineteenth  century 
beyond  the  fatlier  of  waters,  are  still  being  pushed  west- 
ward. Among  tlte  score  or  so  of  reservations  in  the 
Indian  Territory  are  those  of  the  >Shawnees,  the  Choc- 
taws,  the  Chiekasaws  and  the  Cherokees.  The  first 
is  in  the  northeast  corner,  east  of  the  Xeoslio;  the 
second  in  the  southeast,  Ijordering  Arkansas  and  Texas; 
the  third  joins  the  C'hoctaws  on  the  west  and  is  se]:)a- 
rated  from  Texas  by  the  Eed  river;  while  the  fourth 
lies  in  the  northeast,  bordering  Kansas  and  Arka,nsas. 
The  three  last  trilies  have  made  considerable  strides 
in  agriculture  and  the  mechanics.  Taking  sides  with 
the  Southern  Confederacy  during  the  war  between 
the  States,  they  were  much  weakened,  however.  Their 
slaves  were  freed,  and  their  rights  declared  forfeited 
by  the  United  States  government.  There  are  many 
Christians  among  Litese  Indit.ns,  and  the  missionaries 
have  given  them  in  their  language  the  whole  Bible, 
with  spellers,  defmers,  tracts  and  hymn  books. 

As  the  years  go  by.  will  the  Indians  retain,  like  the 
Jews,  their  identity  as  a  people?    This  is  not  impossible; 


Dkstiny  of  TiiK  Indian.s. 


153 


but  one  of  tlu'ir  v<kv,  Siinor.  INikagun,  cliief  of  llie 
I'ottiiuattiuiiii's,  iiiadc  these  uliscrvatioihs  in  a  i)apc'r  in 
I'he  Furaiii  in  lfSD8:  "Tlie  iiulrx-iingcr  of  the  |)a>jL 
and  i)ix'Sfnt  is  ])oinling  to  tiio  futui-c,  sli(t\viiig  ni(/st 
fonclusivt'lv  that  l)y  the  niiihlK;  of  the  tweiitielii  cen- 
tury all  Indian  reservations  and  tribe  relations  will 
have  ])assed  away.  Then  our  people  will  hegin  to  scat- 
ter; and  the  result  will  be  a  ^n-neral  niixinu-  iiji  of  the 
races.  Thi\)ugh  interniarriaLie  the  blood  of  our  j)eople, 
like  the  waters  that  tlow  into  the  >j;reat  ocean,  will  he 
forever  lost  in  the  dominant  race;  and  gent'rations  }ft 
unborn  will  lead  in  history  of  the  red  men  of  the 
forest,  ami  intjuire,  'Where  are  they?'" 

It  is  said  that  a.  numl)er  of  the  tribes  occupyini,^  th(,' 
Indian  Territory  in  ]<Si)i)  have  lon<;-  contemplated  going 
to  j\Ie\ico,  wliere  they  hope  for  immunity  from  the 
whites  who  are  still  intruding  u})on  them,  and  proving 
tlu>  truth  of  the  remark  of  a  statesnian  that  the  while 
race  has  never  shown  that  charity  for  the  weaker  which 
we  should  expect  from  its  creeds. 


CHAPTEPt  XV. 

THE     ;M0UXD     BUILDEUS     OR     STOXE     GRAVE     RACE,     AXD 
SOME    ARCII.EOLOOICAL    RES]:ARCI1ES. 

Throiiglioiit  Teinie<<ee  are  to  be  fouml  stone  graves, 
mounds  and  ruins  ol'  forts  which  tell  of  a  race  of  people 
more  civilized  than  the  tribes  with  which  the  settlers 
came  in  contact  in  the  eighteenth  century.  They  are 
scattered  in  the  valleys  of  Kast  Tennessee  and  the  lower 
valley  of  the  C'und)erland.  but  the  most  })opulous  cen- 
ters seem  to  have  been  in  the  vicinity  of  Xashville. 
The  race  leaving  those  ruins  is  called  the  ^lonnd  Puild- 
ers  or  Stone  Grave  race.  Thruston,  in  his  excellent 
work  on  the  antirpiities  of  Tennessee,  observes  that 
it  is  dillicult  to  ascertain  the  exact  ixdation  of  the  race 
and  its  near  kindred  of  the  neighbo!'ing  States  to 
the  hist<jric  red  Indian,  but  in  the  scale  of  civilization 
it  shoidd  ])robably  be  classed  witli  ihe  Ijcst  types  of 
the  sedentary  or  village  Indians  of  Xew  ^Fexico  or 
Arizona.  'Tf  we  could  have  been  given  a  glini])se  of 
the  fair  valley  of  the  Cundx'rland  in  1102.  the  date 
of  the  Columbian  discov(-ry."  .-ays  lie.  ^"it  is  rpiite  prob- 
able that  we  should  have  found  some  of  these  ancient 
settlements  fnll  of  bir-y  life.  AVe  might  1iave  learned 
the  storv  of  the  mottnds  and  graves  from  some  of  their 
(154) 


C( ) N  I" 1. 1 cT I x( ;  T n i;u R I \-:s. 


155 


own  hiiiidci.-:  liui   iicarlv  lliict    cciil  iiiic-  rl;i]>>c(|   hd'oi'e 
[\iv  jiiiiiiri  r-  uf  ciN  iliz;;tiuii  iwulit'd  ihr  ((iiilliif.-  oi  'L'fU- 

Jlf.-M'C." 

At  till'  jK'iiod  ol'  caily  I'lufojiraii  sell  IciiieiiL  upon  liie 
Ail.iinir  cu.i.-t.  ;;n(l  \'kv  \iiow  llian  a  (riitiii-y  laler,  llic 
l-'icnili  (lix  ii\ri'i'is  >li(iw  llial  llu-  Indian  ncciipanta 
of  the  inK'ii(ii'  >cL-t!iin  of  AnuM'ica.  wi-r't'  involved  in 
(.■oii.-lant  warfare  uilli  each  (-llici-.  as  recorded.  Were 
tlu'  .Mound  lluilders  on  the  Cumlierland  and  in  various 
pans  (if  'I'ennessee  overw  liehiu  d  and  tlri\en  oil"  liv  more 
sa\a,i;t'  eomiUernrs,  oi'  did  tluy  heeonie  ineinf)er>  of  iho 
Shawnee  or  the  Xatehe>^  irilie?  ll  is  hehl  hy  Prof. 
Cyinis  Thomas  that  reeeiil  i n vest i_i;'a,l  ions  prove  they 
were  the  aiieotors  of  the  Shawiiees.  The  latter  were 
finally  overwlu'liiied  and  scattered.  Dr.  1).  (i.  l>rinton, 
on  the  othiM-  hand,  maintains  ih;it  the  ancestors  of  the 
( 'hat  la-.M  ii-kiiux'c  trihes  were  prohahly  the  oriiz'inal 
mound  hiiildinu' stock  or  fannly — the>e  trihes  embracing 
the  Chiietaws.  ('liieka>aws,  Xalehez  and  otiier  allied 
Soutlu'rn  Indians;  f(ir  within  the  historic'  ])eriod.  even, 
they  were  hitilders  of  earthw(.'rks  and  mound  defen-es. 
Dn  fliis  lattiT  point  Thruston.  rif.;'htly  rei^-arded  as  an 
autlmrity.  says:  "The  widely-s]iread  traditions  of  the 
X(»rthern  Indians,  indieatinir  that  the  i-ac-e  that  huilt 
the  imposing'  strtietiiri's  in  the  Ohio  valley  were  driven 
to  the  sotitliward.  also  favored  this  view,  as  does  the 
fact  that  the  mounds  of  Tennessee  do  not  n])pear  to 
1)0  of  so  early  a  jieriod  as  the  Ohio  moitnds."  lUtt  in 
the  historic  period  the  unknown  land  of  Tennessee  was 


156  The  Backward  Trail. 

marked  on  the  new  world  nia])s  as  "llie  unexplored  land 
of  the  ancient  Shawnees." 

There  is  no  foundation,  however,  for  the  helief  that 
the  graves  in  some  portions  of  the  State  indicate  a  race 
of  pigmies.     There  are  really  ]io  pigmy  graves  here. 

One  of  the  largest  of  the  aboriginal  cemeteries  in 
the  State  lies  about  five  miles  south  of  Xashville  on 
IJrown's  creek,  between  the  Franklin  and  ^liddlo 
Franklin  turn})ikes.  Near  this  site  there  seems  to  have 
once  been  a  large  town.  Not  less  than  three  thousand 
closely  laid  stone  graves  were  found  in  the  cemetery, 
and  about  a  thousand  more  were  found  on  nearby  farms. 
In  the  central  cemetery  six  or  seven  hundred  perfect 
specimens  of  well-burned  ])ottery  were  discovered;  and 
nearly  every  familiar  natural  object  is  represented  in 
the  form  of  the  ware — animals,  birds,  fish,  the  human 
figure  and  sea-shell  forms.  ]\lany  of  the  vessels  have 
1)een  colored  and  decorated  with  some  artistic  skill. 
In  a  child's  grave  of  the  ancient  cemetery  was  a  ten-a- 
cotta  figure  nine  inches  long,  re])resenting  a  papoose 
tied  to  its  hanging  board,  v.hich  indicates  that  this 
modern  Indian  custom  ])revailed  with  the  ]}rehist<)ric 
tribes.  Sets  of  toy  plates,  marbles,  terra-cotta  rattles, 
and  crude  tools  and  implements  of  pottery,  stone  and 
bone,  were  also  unearthed. 

It  appeal's  that  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  XashviUe 
no  defensive  works  of  any  magnitude  were  erected;  but 
a  cordon  of  frontier  forts,  or  fortified  towns,  protected 
this  central  and  populous  district. 


Stoni';  Gkavics. 


157 


Tlu'  (.i.-ts  uv  l)(i.\->liii)n'(l  coHiiis  arc  iiiadr  of  thin  slabs 
(if  <t<iiu',  .-(iiiicliiiu's  lirokcii  or  cut.  and  frc(juenlly  rude- 
l_v  joined.  Tlir  ^M'avcs  ;iiT  >i\  or  >e\('n  feet  loni:.  a  fool 
and  a  half  or  two  fed  wide,  and  eiizhteen  inchc-  deeji; 
lint  irraves  of  var_vin;_^  -i/.es  are  found,  j-'requently  the 
cist  conlains  two  or  three  skeleton.-,  and  is  not  more 
than  tliree  or  four  feet  Ioii.l;'.  indieat  in;/  that,  they  were 
prohahly  intei'ied  Ion;/-  afl(i'  dealli.  Nearly  all  the 
<.';:aves  ;ire  lilk'd  with  earth  inside,  hy  inliltration.  The 
roots  of  trees  have  [)enetrated  theni;  the  .-kulls  are 
usually  [lacked  with  earth.  \'essels  of  pottery  niusl 
lia\e  contained  food  and  di'ink  f(jr  the  journey  lo  the 
liaiipy  Inintin^i;'  uround.  and  are  i-on\enieiil  ly  near  the 
body.  (iraves  exist  (in  many  of  the  lar^e  farms  in 
cenli-al  Tennessee  within  a,  I'a.dius  of  seventy-five  miles 
of  Nashville.  In  \\'ilson  County,  near  Cottage  llomt  — 
about  fifty  niih's  east,  of  the  capital — there  are  a  large 
mount]  and  cemett'ry.  They  ai'c  on  the  farm  of  the 
late  Peter  Clarke,  situated  about  two  liundred  yard^ 
from  the  western  bank  of  Smith  j-'ork  ci't'ck.  and  occupy- 
ing three  or  four  acres  of  ground.  Mr.  J^'ande'r  Hays, 
a  reliable  gentlein;in  who  has  lived  on  an  a.(]joining 
fai'iu  since  about  ls;)-"i,  said  in  1S!)0:  "The  mound  fifty 
years  ago  was  twi'nty-five  feet  above  the  level  of  the 
sui'rounding  land,  and  nearby  was  a  large  Iia.-in,  show- 
ing that  the  matt'rial  was  taken  from  that  spot  for  the 
erection  of  the  mouiuk  There  was  a  white  oak  tree  on 
the  mound's  toji.  with  I'ings  indicating  iliat  it  wa-  three 
hundi'ed    vears   old.      Some    ireasui'e-hunters    made    an 


158 


Thk  Backward  Tkail. 


excavation,  digging  a  tunnel  .<jx  I'ccl  in  .-ize.  I'ortions  of 
a  skeleton,  some  pt^tterv,  and,  ii'  1  I'eeolleet,  a  gunstoek, 
were  the  only  things  discovered.  There  are  traces  of 
fortiiications  neai'hy,  some  jiorlions  being  aljout  foui- 
feet  high  fifty  years  ago.  A\'ithin  the  sj)ace  enclo>ed 
by  this  eartli-work  were  a  :uunber  of  smaller  mounds. 
A  large  nuniher  of  graves  in  the  lields  bordering  the 
creek  were  rock-lined,  square,  and  cojitained  skeletons 
in  a  sitting  posture.  Tlint  arrow-heads  were  numerous. 
At  our  old  homestead,  which  I  owji  now,  tliere  are 
two  of  these  graves  which  have  not  been  molested  after 
discovered;  one  near  the  fr(jnt  gate,  and  the  other  in 
the  garden,  under  an  old  a})ple  tree.'"' 

Four  miles  east,  on  the  same  creek,  in  the  hottom 
fields  of  the  T.  (t.  ]5ratton  farm.  Indian  graves  were 
once  ninnerous,  l)Ut  have  been  destroyed  by  the  })low- 
share.  The  ])ones  \\ere  of  a  reddish  tint,  and  crundjh'd 
when  exposed  to  the  air.  They  were  in  tlie  vicinity  of 
the  trail  refen-ed  to  by  C'arr  in  his  mention  of  the  fight 
which  took  place  between  A\'incliester  and  the  Ixxlt 
of  Indians  under  the  leadership  of  ilie  chief,  the  Moon. 

A  mile  nortli  of  Liberty,  on  the  fai'm  of  C.  \V.  Tj. 
Hale.  DcKallj  County,  there  staiul?-  a  large  mound, 
evidently  of  artificial  construction.  I'he  field  in  which 
it  is  seen  has  l)een  under  cultivation  about  seventy-five 
veai's.  but  the  mr)und  is  yet  of  considerable  dimensions, 
about  fifteen  feet  high  and  a  hundred  feet  in  diameter. 
Tt  was  used  i)erha])s  as  a  place  for  observation  by  the 
]\Iound    r)uilders.   or  for  ]'elii:-ious   I'ites.      Stone   a'raves 


A  Pkkhistokic  Giant. 


159 


were  in  cln-c  |M'ii.\iiiiii  \-.  Acrn.-.-  Siiiilli  I^'oik  creek,  a 
((iiarler  of  a  mile  I'loiii  llie  iihmiikI,  lliere  was  tUniHl  a 
laru'c  L;i';ive  in  l.s'.ll  u  liicli  caiixMl  ((iii.-i<leral)le  coiii- 
iiieiit.  Il  wa.-^  wvy  Inii;^-,  and  llie  iici'.-nn  l)urie(|  tliei-e 
niii>l  lia\('  Ikhmi  u{'  uiant  >ixe.  'I'Ik,'  jaw  Ixme  wa.-  .-aid 
to  have  heeii  lar^u'e  t'lKtn^li  !(»  ^lip  willi  ea.-e  down  ovei' 
an  adnll's  head.  'I'lie  Anakini  wei'e  uianls  id'  inijxirlaiic.' 
in  ihe  v;\v\\  days  in  (he  ()i'ieni;  l)a\id  ha.d  a  iroop  of 
gia.nis;  the  enipei'or  of  (iernianv  has  shown  |>ail  ialil  v 
for  a  uiiai'd  of  men  of  hii'^c  slatni'e.  No  (h)nht  ihe 
_U'ian!  whose  l)ones  wvvv  nnearlhed  in  I)(d\an)  County 
in  IS'M,  where  they  had  re|)osed  for  cenlufies,  was  a. 
person  of  importance,  stalkinu'  amonij,'  his  people  con- 
scious of  their  achuii'ation,  and  wlieii  in  hattle  witnt'ss- 
in^ir  with  satisfaction  the  con.-lernation  liis  ( ioliath-like 
fiiiiire  excited   amon_u'  his  enemies. 

Were  tlie  C'umht'i'land  si'ttlemeiits  of  the  ^hjund 
I>uihlers  iiitt'Uihd  to  ho  jtrotectiM]  l)y  the  cor(Jon  of  fort.s 
mentioned  earlier  in  this  c-liapter?  There  ai'c  ruins  of 
foi'tiflcations  in  SunuuT,  A\'illiamson  and  Wilson  c()un- 
ties  to  indicate  this.  "|-'oi-ts  were  pi'ohahly  not.  needed 
on  the  western  and  norlhwestt'i-n  sides,  alin-ady  occupied 
])}■  villa,u-es  and  settlements  of  the  same  race."  su^-- 
<:"ests  Thruston. 

The  woi'ks  lyin<i-  near  Saundersville,  Sumnei"  Couniy. 
incdose  aliout  fourtt'cii  acres.  Tlie  earth  lines  and 
smallei-  mound>  in  the  cnlli\ated  liehls  in  ISit;  wei'O 
iiearlv  ohliterated.  l)Ut  in  ihe  woodland  wvvv  well  jire- 
scr\-ed.      The    chief    mound    near    the    center   is    nearly 


i6o  The  Backward  Trail. 

twenty-six  feet  high.  It  is  about  tliree  hundred  and 
eighteen  feet  in  cireuniference,  and  is  entirely  artiliciah 
Tlie  mounds  next  in  size  are  eoniposed  probably  of  the 
debris  of  aneient  houses.  At  irregular  intervals  along 
the  earth  lines  in  the  woodland,  angles  of  earth  projeet 
about  ten  feet  beyond  the  general  line,  indieating 
towers  or  l^astions  in  the  wall  Hue. 

There  are  also  aboriginal  works  of  interest  at  Cas- 
talian  Springs,  in  the  same  county. 

A  fortified  settlement  is  found  on  the  Lindsley  farm, 
east  of  Jx^banon,  containing  about  ten  acres.  The  usual 
great  mound  is  near  the  center.  A  large  number  of  the 
smaller  elevations  })roved  to  be  the  remains  of  dwell- 
ing houses  or  wigwams;  when  the  earth  was  cleared 
away.  hard,  circular  floors  were  disclosed,  with  burnt 
clay  or  ancient  hearths  in  the  center,  indicating  a  sim- 
ilarity to  the  circular  lodges  of  modern  Indians.  I^'roui 
beneath  the  floors — many  of  the  Indians  Imried  their 
dead  under  their  dwellings — were  taken  some  of  the 
finest  s]iecimens  of  pottery  ard  ancient  art  yet  discov- 
ered in  mounds. 

On  the  southwest  bank  of  the  Big  Harpeth  river,  in 
AVilliamson  County,  on  the  De  CJraffenreid  fann,  about 
two  and  a  half  miles  from  ]-"ranklin,  and  twenty  miles 
south  of  Xashville,  vestiges  of  the  ditch  and  embank- 
ment of  a  fortified  settlement  arc  visi])lc.  though  the 
land  has  been  tilled  for  nearly  a  century.  The  en- 
closure contains  about  thirty-two  acres  of  land.  The 
earthwork   is  a   crescent   or  semi-circle.   3.S00   feet  in 


^  Ancient  Earthworks.  i6i 

length,  and  the  ciuL-  i-tsiiiiLr  (Ui  an  iinpa.-.-altlc,  almo.-i 
pt'i'jiendicular  blull'  of  the  nvei',  rising  alxiui  Torly  iVcl 
from  the  water's  edge,  'i'he  laiid  i>  uimsii;dly  ferlihj 
within  the  enelosui'e,  and  the  \\;ilcf  i>  eoiiveiiiiiit  and 
iiu'xhaiistilde.  The  place  woidd  have  niainlaiiird  a  pro- 
Iraeted  siege.  Thefe  are  nine  imoiiii(1>  within  the  railli- 
works;  the  largest  i.-  two  hiindi-ed  and  tliirly  feet  in 
length,  one  hundred  and  ten  feel  in  bi'eadth,  a.nd  .six- 
teen feet  in  lieight.  The  mounds  and  (hteli  were  eovi'i'cd 
with  trees.  A  wlnte  oak  four  feet  in  diameter  .-too(l 
in  the  diteh.  In  (me  of  ilie  nioumls  was  a  ^keU'ton  in 
a  sitting  posture.  "Within  the  l)ones  of  the  liand  was 
held  a  flint  knife  or  sword  blade,  the  hugers  re-ting 
around  the  tapering  end  or  handle.  The  instrument 
was  twenty-two  inches  long,  and  two  inches  wide  ;!t  the 
broadest  portion.  It  is  said  to  he  the  longest  and  finest 
chipped  stone  knife  known  to  arclueology.  An  earthen- 
ware vessel  was  on  the  left  side,  as  if  liehl  in  tlie  hand. 
and  two  large  sea-shells  lay  on  the  right.  \n  other 
graves  there  were  some  small.  tl)in  eoppe!'  plates, 
stamped  with  rude  crosses;  al>o.  u!iii|iie  ii]iag(>  ;,nd  line 
specimens   of   paint(>(l    ])ottei'y  and    of   siicll    woi'k. 

Idiero  are  also  mounds  and  gi-oups  of  monml-  in 
^latii'v  roiinty.  in  flic  Se!|uatchcc  \allcy.  on  ('aiicv 
Foi'k,  and  in  Madison  and  I.awi-ciu;e  coinilic-.  On  the 
cast  side  of  ihc  Tennessee  I'ivci'.  on  the  high  giound 
adjoining  Hie  town  of  Savannah,  there  arc  extcnsixc 
earthworks.  Ihit  tlie  largest  and  nio-i  clalioraic  ;ni- 
eient  foiiification  in  ^liddle  Tennc.-sec  is  situated  in  the 
1 1 


i62  The  Backward  Traii.. 

forks  of  Duck  river,  near  Manchester  in  Coffee  County. 
In  ISDI  the  main  wall  varied  from  four  to  six  feet  in 
height.  It  is  partly  constructed  of  irreiiular.  loose  stone 
from  the  river  Ijcd  or  the  adjoining  hlulfs.  There  is 
no  I'egular  wall  or  masonry,  hut  the  rocks  and  eartli 
are  heaped  together  ])r(»miscuously,  forming  a  strong 
eiubankment.  connec-ting  with  the  steej)  river  hlulfs. 
.V  wide,  deep  ditc-li  in  the  rear  of  the  woi'ks  se|)arates 
and  protects  iIkui  from  the  conunanding  ridge  op- 
posite. The  entiance  at  the  north  end  exhibits  con- 
siderable engineering  skill,  and  is  similar  in  plan  to 
some  of  the  fortilied  gateways  of  the  strongest  ancient 
works  in  Ohio.  ^Mounds  of  stone  jiboiit  three  feet  higher 
than  the  general  wall — (hmhtles^  foundations  f(U'  lower 
or  extra  defenses — were  erected  on  each  side  of  the 
entrance.  On  the  inside,  double  ])rotecting  walls  extend 
1)ack  from  the  o]ieni ng.  te'_'ndnating  at  both  ends  in 
raised  nuninds  of  the  saiiu'  cliaracter,  oi)])osite  the  main 
enti'aiue  and  rear  o])ening.  the  latter  being  ciuicealed  at 
the  side.  ""Tlie  enemy  oiu-e  within  the  main  gatewav. 
would  iind  himself  in  a  nil  dp  ><ar  in  this  enclosui'e." 
Ivvplorations  iriade  have  revealed  lu)  stoiu'  graves  oj- 
other  remains  of  intei'est.  or  connecting  it  with  abo- 
riginal life  in  other  fortilied  works.  The  st(mo  fort  is 
su]-)])osed  to  have  becMi  a  military  enclo.-nre.  not  used 
as  a  ])ermanent  settlement. 

"Wdien  lived  the  ])eo])le  to  whom   we  give  ihe  name 
of  Mound  Jhiilders  f(u-  the  lack  of  a  more  appro])riate 


Mi'-Kiv  vSi')>;cui,ATioNS.  163 

OIK'!''  I'rom  I  he  cxccllrnl  .-l.i.U'  til'  [irc-^crvatioii  di'  iii;in\- 
of  llic  >kclt't(ins,  slu'll,  l)()ii-  ;,ii(|  Imrii  oiiuiiiK'Ul.-  and 
iiiiplriiiciits,  .-iiii-(li-i(.'tl  pdllri}.  and  a.rti(li'.-.  of  woijd, 
I'dund  \\\  .-oiiic  (d'  iIk'  iiKiund.^  and  .-lunr  graves  id' 
.Middli'  'l\'iinr>st'(',  Tlwusldii  ciinU'iids  thai  it  caiUHil 
1)1'  bcdii'vcd  that  all  of  llic  lalU'i'  anle-dalLMJ  tlic  discMtvi'i'v 
of  this  country  hy  ('olund)n.<.  the  visit  of  I'amjdulu 
De  Nai'vaez  iu  11l\S,  or  of  Dc  Soto  in  loio. 

liut  the  mystei-y  surroiiiulinji,'  the  |>!'ehistoiie  I'ace  or 
races  of  'renncssee  will  in  all  protjahilily  never  he  sat- 
isfacdorily  explained.  The  centuries  keep  no  records, 
and  \\h(.'i-e  man  has  failed  to  do  so.  speculation  tuid 
wondei-  are  all  tliat  ai'e  hd't. 

"Sages  and   chiefs   long  sine   had   birth 
Ere  Caesar  was,  or  Newton  named; 

Those    raised  new  empires  o'er  the  earth, 
And  these    new  heavens  and  systems  named; 

\'ain  was  the  chief's,  the  sage's  pride — 

They  had  no  poet,  and  they  died!" 

sang  Pope;  and  the  lack  of  the  poet  and  historian  is 
painfully  felt  in  the  especial  case  of  the  aboriginal 
races  of  America. 


ClJAi'T]-:K  XA'l. 

THE     HAITI. E     OF     KlXO'rt     MOLXTAIX,     AM)    TENNESSEE'S 
CONNECTION    WITH    THE    ]{E\'OLUTION. 

The  battle  of  King's  ^Mountain  was  not  fought  on 
Tennessee  soil,  but  as  Tennesseans  were  engaged  in  it, 
it  hat  an  additional  historic  interest  to  citizens  of  this 
State. 

The  first  counties  organized  in  wdiat  afterwards  be- 
came Tennessee  were  Washington,  organized  in  Xoveni- 
ber,  1T1T,  and  Sidlivan,  taken  from  Washington  in 
ir?9  and  named  for  Gen.  Sullivan.  .Jolm  Sevier  held 
the  position  of  colonel-commandant  of  the  first,  and 
Isaac  Shelby  that  of  the  second.  Sevier  has  been  men- 
tioned. Shelby  was  another  of  tlutse  daring  Indian 
fighters  whose  courage  contributed  to  the  success  of  the 
early  settlements. 

In  1T80  the  revolutionary  cause  in  the  South  seemed 
on  the  point  of  collapsing.  Charleston  fell,  Gen.  Gates 
had  been  defeated.  Gen.  Sumter  had  met  with  reverses. 
Only  a  ivw  partisans  ke])t  the  s])irit  of  the  colonists 
alive.  Lord  Cornwallis  by  September  had  been  rein- 
forced by  about  three  tlinusand  men  from  Clinton's 
command  at  Xew  Yoi-k.  and  ]>assed  triumphantly  inti) 
Xorth  Carolina:  Patrick  Ferguson,  with  a  command  of 
regulars  and  tories,  moving  on  his  left,  was  threatening 
(164) 


TiiK  Patriots  Arou.sed.  165 

the  wcsiern  froiuier.s  wiili  iiro  and  sword;  and  many 
])ali'ioife  >ul)niilli.'(l  to  J>rili.-li  ainliDiity.  consideriiiir 
llieii'  JVi'c'dtmi   ]<)>L 

lint  a  tiirnin;^^  jxiiiit  caiiu'  aL  last.  The  llii'cal.s  ol' 
l'\'ruuson  had  aroused  ilic  fi'oiilii'i-.-incii.  and  ^:^allicriii;i 
iiiuh'T  Si'vicr  and  Slu'lhy.  ihcy  lii-(iiii;-|ii  ahoul  one  nl' 
tlic  most  lirillianl  victories  of  ilie  wai'.  at  l\in.^:"s  Moiin- 
lain,  X.  ('.,  maih'  the  Amei-iean  I'eptddie  a  eeriainty. 
and.  as  IMielan  c-oi'i'ecilv  olisnves.  eoiineeted  the  Idstory 
of  Tennesst'e  with  Hunkei-  Hill  and  the  aneieiit  lii-loi-y 
of  the  I'nited  States.  They  icsolved  to  ai'i'e.-t  the  hril- 
ham  Uritisli  olheer's  ])roL:ress.  and  soon  Iiad  him  on  the 
relroat  and  writiny  to  Loi'd  Cornwallis  foi-  assistance 
agaiiist  ihoso  he  had  hut  a  few  days  hefore  threalen<'(L 

Shelhy  dis]«itehed  a  messenger  to  Col.  William  Camp- 
l)e]l  on  tlie  Tlolston:  and  the  field  ofhcers  of  South- 
westei'n  A'irginia  invited  him  with  four  lumdred  men 
to  join  in  the  exjiedit ion  aiiainst  l''er,u'u<on.  .\n  expi'ess 
was  also  sent  to  Col.  Cleavohmd.  of  Xorth  Carolina. 
All  were  to  meet  and  mute,  and  aecoinhn^ly  on  Scp- 
tendiei-  2'),  I'lMU.  the  thi-ee  re,i:-iments  nnder  Camphcll. 
Sevier  and  Shelliy.  and  sonic  Xmlh  Carolina  fuiiitives 
nnder  ^McDowell,  assendjled  on  the  AVataniia  in  hcLrin 
their  mai'eh. 

I'ive  days  afiei'war(]s  they  formed  a  junction  with  the 
regiment  of  I 'ol.  Cleaveland.  Their  advance  startled 
tlie  enemy.  "A  nmnt-rous  army  now  ap])eare(l  on  the 
frontier  (h'awn  fi'oni  Xolliehueky  and  otlier  sctilcincnis 
hevond    ilie    mountains,    whose    vei'v    mimes    1iad    heen 


166  The  Backward  Trail. 

unknown  to  us/"'  wrote  Lord  liawdon  later,  and  the 
missive  tends  to  show  tlie  trepidation  tlie  few  hundred 
men  put  tlie  British  in.  liut  when  the  vigor  of  move- 
ment and  the  personal  appearance  of  tliose  hardy  moun- 
taineers are  considered,  it  is  hardly  a  matter  for  wonder 
that  they  were  magnified  into  a  "numerous  army.'"  We 
can  in  imagination  see  the  consternatien  of  the  Cireeians 
when  Alaric  the  Cioth  ap})eared  on  tlieir  hoi'ders,  and 
realize  sometliing  of  the  iierce  a})})earanee  of  Attila's 
horde  of  Huns  as  they  advanced  on  Italy.  The  Ameri- 
can riflemen,  though  insignificant  in  numhers  ct)mpared 
with  those  old-world  legions,  were  as  picturesque  and 
terrorizing  in  their  appearance;  and  they  were  actuated 
Ly  patriotism  and  not  plunder  as  they  isstted  from  the 
mountain  fastnesses,  and  tliis  made  them  all  the  more 
formidahle.  Xot  a  bayonet  was  amongst  them;  but  few 
swords  dangled  at  their  officers'  sides;  not  a  tent  was 
carried  to  ])rotect  them  from  the  cold  autumn  nights. 
But  their  fringed  and  tasseled  hunting  shirts  were  girded 
in  Ijy  bead-worked  belts,  and  the  tra])])ings  of  their 
horses  were  stained  red  and  yellow.  On  their  heads 
lliey  wore  (-Don-skin  or  mink-sk'in  c-aps.  with  tlie  l;iils 
hanging  down,  or  else  felt  bats  in  each  of  which  was 
thrust  a  buck  tail  or  a  s})rig  of  green.  All  cai'i'ie(l  small- 
boi'e  rifles,  tomahawks  and  scaliiing  knives.  P>efore 
leaving  on  the  march,  they  had  assembled  in  a  gTOve 
and  beard  Bev.  Samuel  Doak  invoke  the  blessings  of 
Heaven  on  the  ex]iedition:  and  tlie  light  of  a  just  cause 
shone  in  their  eves  and  on  Hieir  rou<>-1i  and  scarred  and 


pRivPAkiNG  Tu  Attack. 


167 


\voailu'i--ln'aU'ii  couiilciiaiur.-.  'Tlirii  llicir  ciiiiiniaiKli  r- 
—  these  were  llie  eiiilMMlmiei:i  n\'  valni-  ami  ileleriiiiiia- 
lioii  also.  Tliei^'  u"a>  ( 'aiii[il»ell,  hi'ave  and  w  alihriil ; 
Sliell)V,  willi  liis  ii'dti  inT\es  ami  llie  I'eai'le.-^  ami  amla- 
cioUS    Inok    wlliell    eiillies    ol'    ri'e(|llelll    aild     \ieliiriii||^    ili- 

coiiiiters  with  dealli;  Sevier,  with  liis  kiuulilly  Kenrim:, 
who  tlnniii'h  uu\\  I  hirty-live  years  of  ai:e.  Imd  liis  I\\<j 
^U'allaiit  sons  lliei'e  lo  walcli  (i\er:  MePowcll  and  Wil- 
liams, ea<;er  and  alei't:  and,  la.-lly,  ('leaxcland.  a  Jler- 
cules  in  si/e  and  anxious  lo  aveni^e  llic  wion--  ihe  loy- 
alists had  iidlieled  on  him-  and  his  ])eo|)le.  Wdiat  eliam- 
pioiis  to  keep  '"the  lamp  ot  eliivalry  aliiihl  in  hearts  of 
.ijold!" 

Al'lei'  a  few  days  this  ■■niimei'oiis  army"  of  less  than 
lil'teeii  Imndi'ed  men  reaclu'd  the  Cowpeiis  (Jii  Uroad 
river.  Here  tlicy  lield  a  eoiiiieil  of  war  and  it  was 
(U'cided  to  start  that  niu'ht  to  strike  the  lii'ilish  hv  sur- 
prise: for  this  enterprise  thev  pieked  out  inne  hundi-ed 
and  ten  of  tlieir  hest  lu.»rsemen.  all  exptu  marksmen: 
and  at  ei^uiit  o'cdock  the  sai]ie  t'venini;-  the  -eleelecl  men 
heuan  their  inar(-li.  On  the  afternoon  of  Oetoher  7  thev 
wei'e  at  the  foot  of  Kimr's  Mountain,  on  the  to]»  of 
which  l'\' rail  son,  with  elewn  liun<lre(l  and  1  weiity-li\e 
men — one  hundred  and  twenlv-(ive  of  them  re^idars — 
wei'e  eam])ed.  (■oidl(h'nl   that  lie  eonld  not  he  heaten. 

The  Americans  disniounted.  niul  formed  themselves 
into  four  columns.  A  part  of  Chveland's  ren'imeiu, 
headed  hy  ^\'inston.  and  Sevier's  rcLiiment.  formed  a 
eohinm  on  the  ri>:ht.     The  other  |)art  of  Cleaveland's 


i68  The  Backward  Trail. 

regimentj  lieadud  l>y  ihal  pani-an  liiiiiself.  and  tlie 
regiment  df  WillianiS;  (jonipo.^ed  the  Joi'i  wing.  Tlie 
])o&i  of  exiri'nie  danger  was  as.-igned  lu  llie  column 
formed  by  CampLeirs  regiment  on  tlie  right  center,  and 
tSlio])>y"s  regiment  on  the  left  center;  so  that  Sevier's 
right  nearly  adjoined  Shelhy's  left.  The  right  and  lett 
wings  were  to  pass  the  position  of  Fei'guson,  and  from 
o])po»ite  sides  elindj  the  ridge,  foriihed  Ijy  nature  with 
slate-cliffs  forming  breastworks,  in  his  rear;  while  the 
two  central  columns  were  to  attack  in  front.  Tn  this 
order  they  advanced  to  wiihm  a  fpiarter  of  a  mile  of 
the    P>i'itish    before   discovered. 

Tlie  two  center  columns,  headed  by  Campbell  and 
Shelby,  climbing  the  mouniain,  began  the  attack.  Shel- 
by went  on  up.  The  enemy's  ]'cgulars  (-harged  Canqt- 
bell  with  fixed  bay(jnets;  and  his  rillemen,  having  no 
bayonets,  gave  way  for  a  short  distance  only,  and  then 
retui'm^'d  -with  additional  ardor.  The  two  columns  with 
some  aid  from  a  jinrt  of  Sevier's  regiinent.  ke|)t  u])  a 
fuT'ioiis  battle  with  herguson's  foi'co  for  ten  minutes: 
tlicn  the  right  aiul  left  wings  of  the  Amei'icans  advaru-ed 
uiion  ilie  r.i'ilisb  f.ank  and  rear;  the  fire  became  general; 
foi'  fiftv-five  minutes  longer  tl;e  volleying  was  incessant. 
At  last  the  American  right  wing  gained  tlie  top  of  the 
mountain,  and  the  British — Ferguson  being  killed — at- 
tGm]ited  to  retreat  alonii-  the  top  of  the  ridge.  Thcv 
were  held  in  clieck  by  AVilliams  and  Cleaveland.  and 
r.'ajit.  De  I'ev-ter  hoi-ted  a  wliite  flas".  The  firing  ceased 
soon,  and  Hie  onemv  surrendered  at  discretion. 


Rksult  of  the  Victory.  169 

Tlu'  Ids-  1)1'  tlu."  IW'iii.-l)  ua<  olfven  hundred  aiid  f<»ur 
— the  iiuiiilicr  of  jirisiuici's  ua.-  .-ix  huiulred  and  ioily- 
I'iglil.  atcDidini;-  in  llanc-rol'i.  'I'lie  Aniei'ieaji.s'  loss  was 
Iwcnl} -ciijlil   killed  and  sixty  wuundi'd. 

(.irr,i;.u',  an  Mngli.-li  lii.^loiian.  says:  "Of  some  six 
liundird  and  iifly  caiiliws.  a  nuinlHT  wei'e  hanged  in 
cold  lilood  on  the  nexl  morning,  under  the  eyes  of  the 
American  eommander." 

lUil  ihe  wlioh'  Irulh  is,  ihat  annnig  ihe  eaptivcs  were 
lionse-hurners  and  assassins;  and  private  soldiers  who 
]iad  wilnessed  the  sorrows  of  helpless  women  and  chil- 
dren, exetnted  inne  or  ten  of  these  creatures — ''for  the 
fre([uent  use  of  the  gallows  at  Camden,  Xinety-Six,  and 
Augusta."  as  iiaiu-roft  explains;  hut  C(d.  Camphell  in- 
lei'vened  and  pi-evented    further  delincpienccs. 

"The  victory  at  Iving's  ^lountain.  whicli  in  the  s})irit 
of  the  American  soldiers  was  like  the  rising  at  Con- 
cord, in  its  elTects  like  the  successes  at  liennington. 
changed  the  aspect  of  the  war.''  ohserves  Bancroft. 
"The  victory."  declares  Koosevelt.  "was  of  far-reaching 
impoi'tance,  and  ranks  among  the  decisive  hattles  of  the 
licvolution.  ]t  was  the  first  great  success  of  the  Ameri- 
cans in  tlie  South,  the  tui'ning  ])oint  in  the  Southern 
campaign,  and  it  hrought  cheer  to  the  patriots  through- 
out the  Union." 

A  sword  and  a  ]>air  of  })istols  were  voted  to  Sevier 
am]  Shelhy  l»y  the  (ieneral  A.-semhlv  of  Xortli  Carolina, 
whicli  deht  of  gratitude  was  not  ])aid  till  ISIO.  1die 
soldiers  received  li(iuidated  certificates  wnjrtli  two  cents 


lyo  The  Backward  Trail. 

on  the  dollar  for  their  services.  Shelby's  share  of  these 
for  services  in  178U-81  was  sold  hy  him  for  "six  yards 
of  middling  broadcloth."  ikit  they  were  not  lighting 
for  lucre.  Both  Sevier  and  Shelby,  after  a  war  with  the 
Indians  for  the  protection  of  the  frontiers,  joined 
AFarion  with  Washington  and  Sullivan  county  men,  in 
behalf  of  independence. 


(■ii.\n'i:i:  wii. 

'iin;    sioiiY     oi-     cDNsin  r  1  it;.\     m akinc;.     i-kom     tiik 

\\\V\\{,.\     ASSdCI. \ll().\     r<»     1M)(). 

'l"hc  Aii,i;l()-Sa.\()ii  y:\uv  I'fom  ;iii  early  day  iias  luul 
<:ri'al  I'ailli  in  a  I'midaiiicntal  |ii)lilical  sti'iicUiii-  cailrd 
llic  euiisliluliun.  and  i-cvcri'iiei'  il  as  llic  bulwark  vi 
their  lil)ci'tii'S.  'J'liis  was  luade  manifest  west  of  tlie 
Alleglienies  in  the  aetioii  of  tlie  Waiaii^ans  in  1TT2. 
The  line  Ix'tween  A'iruinia  and  North  Carolina  was  run 
in  nn.  and  they  found  their  settlements  in  tiie  latter 
colony,  and  not  in  ^'ir,^■inia.  as  they  had  su]i1)osim1.  and 
sejiarated  from  the  parent  eok»ny  hy  distanee  and  almost 
impassahU'  ranj^es  of  mountains,  'idle  affairs  of  Xorth 
Carolina,  were  disordered,  and  the  Western  settlers  could 
expect  no  aid  or  ])rotection  from  her.  and  they  hoped  for 
none  from  the  ,2"eneral  ^irovernment.  They  found  tliem- 
s(dves  without  u'overnment.  althouudi  the  community  was 
already  infested  to  some  extent  hy  lawless  cliaracters 
who  had  come  with  tln'  wave  of  immiu'ration.  Watautra 
was  in  an  anomalous  position,  it  can  lie  seen.  "I'or 
Lj'overnment."  says  liancroft.  "its  niemhers  in  ll*"-?  came 
together  as  hi-othei's  in  convention,  and  founded  a  re- 
puhlic  hy  a  wi'itten  assoc-iation :  api>ointed  their  own 
mau'ist  rates.  l\oliertson  ainonp'  the  first:  frame*]  laws  for 
their  present  oi-casions:  and  set  to  the  jX'ople  of  Aniericii 
(171) 


172  The  Backward  Trail. 

the  example  of  erecting  themselve?  into  a  State,  inde- 
pendent of  the  British  king/'"  Perhaps  they  hardly  in- 
tended such  independence  as  the  distinguished  historian 
suggests,  hut  AVatauga  was  the  first  free  independent 
connnunity  estahlished  hy  men  of  American  birtli  on 
this  continent. 

The  constitution  of  Watauga  has  })crished,  and  we 
know  very  little  of  the  contents  of  the  instrument;  but 
it  is  thouglit  that  the  Curaherland  compact,  made  later 
by  persons  who  Avere  identified  with  tlic  Watauga  move- 
ment and  preserved  in  part,  is  in  JUiiny  respects  a  repro- 
duction of  it.  Thirteen  connnissionors  were  elected — 
John  Carter,  Cliarlcs  Kobcrtson,  Zaeh  Isbell,  J(jlin 
Sevier,  James  Smith.  James  Koljertsoii,  Jacob  Brown, 
William  Bean,  John  Jones,  George  Eussell,  Jacob 
Womack,  Eobert  Lucas  and  William  Tatham.  Of  these 
John  Carter,  Cliarles  and  James  Bol)ertson,  Zack  Isbell 
and  Jolm  Sevier  were  selected  as  a  court,  or  Ijoard  of 
five  commissioners,  and  William  Tatham  made  clerk. 
The  settlements  originally  composing  the  association 
were  Watauga  aiul  Carter's  A^alley.  but  the  Xollichucky, 
or  Brown  settlement,  was  admitted  later.  The  principle 
of  representation  appears  to  have  been  fairly  cm])loved, 
for  in  the  sidjsetpient  ])etition  to  lie  annexed  to  Xorth 
Carolina  it  was  declared  that  the  conimitteo  had  been 
chosen  unanimously  by  consent  of  the  i)eo]ile.  and  had 
acted  with  the  consent  of  evi^ry  individual.  Tlu^ 
Wataugans  were  mostly  from  Xorth  Carolina  and  A'ii'- 
ginia,  and   the  settlers  of  those  colonies  were  larcelv 


The  Watauga  Compact. 


173 


Kn<:lisli.  Nineiy-i'ij^lil  [kt  cent  of  ilu-  white  Vir^nnian 
popiihitiuii  wcie  l';ii<,fli.<li.  'I'liis  ,i.->iii-t d  Aiit^'lo-Saxon 
l)l()(ul  and  |iiiiui|ilc.-  in  the  little  (■(Uiiiiinii wcallli.  Tlu' 
t'iiii(lainciital  Iciifts  nl"  this  assoeiat  iuii  were  ihcrcfiin- 
Aii<:h>-Sa.\nii — porsiiiial  liiicrty  ami  icin'csciilative  <_Mn- 
LTiiniciit.  rrniii  all  that  can  he  L;"allu'rc(l ;  and  this  should 
sali-l\'  our  eiii'iositv  rtdalixi'  to  tli(,'  iiiovi'inciil  \vhi(;h 
has  assiiiiR'd  an  iiiidtii'  coiispiciioiisiicss  in  history. 


IJohcrtv-^on,  Isholl.  Lucas  atid  Tathain  went  a  frw  years 
later  aii<l  settled  on  the  Cundieiland;  and  so  in  K<SO, 
when  the  st'tllenicnts  there  had  ^irrown.  and  the  rej)re- 
scntatives  of  st'ven  stations  met  in  Xashhorouoh  on  ^lay 
1,  ihev  must  have  exerted  an  iniluenee  in  the  making  of 
the  eonstitution  framed  hy  tliis  convention.  The  coni- 
])act.  excc}»ting  the  first  ]ia<:e,  has  heen  preserved,  with 
certain  amendments  made  on  ^lay  1:5.  Two  hundred 
and  fifty-six  person.s  signed  it;  and  tlionah  the  in.<trii- 
meiil  contains  a  recognition  of  the  fact  that  the  Cum- 
herland  settlement  helonged  to  Xortli  Carolina,  tliat 
Settlement  really  heganie  aiiotlier  State  founded  ujton 
the  consenf  of  the  governed.  Th.e  reasons  given  for  its 
organization  arc  thought  to  re])resent  tlie  ]nir[>oses  of  tlie 
Watauga  settlers.  Was  not  the  wording  horrowed  from 
the  older  compact?  Instead  of  a  committee  of  tliirteen, 
however,  it  provided  for  a  committee  of  twelve,  and 
tlicy  are  referred  to  as  the  judges,  triers,  or  general 
arliitrators.  The  suli-committee  of  flv(>  (]n  not  appear 
to  have  hocn  retained,  either;  for  tlie  judges  or  triers 


174  Tuv:  Backward  Trail. 

are  declared  to  have  the  ])ropei'  juriirdiction  for  the  re- 
covery of  dcljt  or  daiiiage,  j-rovided  the  cause  of  action 
liad  arisen  among  the  settk'rs  when  they  were  beyond  tlie 
limits  of  government,  ("asi's  involving  one  lumdred 
dollars  or  less  were  tried  beloi'e  tliree  judges,  whoso 
decision  was  final.  If  the  amount  was  larger,  an  a|)})eal 
conld  be  taken  to  the  twelve — or  rather  to  lune — of  the 
connnittee,  for  the  three  from  wliose  judgment  an  ap- 
peal was  taken  were  excluded.  The  judges  had  criminal 
jurisdi(-tion,  but  wei'c  forbidden  lo  proceed  witii  execu- 
tion ''so  far  as  to  effect  life  or  member,"  in  which  case 
the  offender  \Aas  to  Ije  sent  uiider  guard  to  the  place 
where  the  offense  had  bren  Kunmitted.  nj-  to  a  ])lace 
where  a  legal  trial  could  be  had — perha]is  in  tlu'  older 
section  of  Xorth  Carolina. 

The  Cund)ei']and  institntions  were  thoroughly  V.ng- 
lish,  like  those  of  Watauga.  In  April.  1T83.  the  Leg- 
islature of  Xorth  Carolina  created  Davidson  county,  and 
the  compact  of  the  Cumberland  settlements  became  ob- 
solete. 

As  shown  in  a  previous  chapter,  the  State  of 
Franklin  was  organized  in  the  Eastern  section  under 
the  leadership  of  Sevier  in  1784,  and  collapsed  tour 
years  subsequently.  When  the  scheme  lo  form  it  ma- 
terialized, the  X'orth  Carolina  constitution,  with  some 
immaterial  modifications,  was  adopted  at  the  suggestion 
of  Sevier.  That  constitution  was,  according  to  com- 
petent critics,  a  democratic,  a  thoroughly  American, 
version  of  the  En"-lish  constitution. 


Enumeration  of  Inhabitants.  175 

111  this  ciiiiiu'ciioii  it  may  Ix"  instnu'iivi:  lo  show  that 
the  Lf^i.-latiiie  of  I'raiiklin  apjxjiiiU'd  Sfvicr  governor 
and  inadi'  oiIilt  iifccs.-afy  ollucr.-  in  lliu  spring  of  11  HO; 
and  aiiinsin^u'-  lo  note  llic  Solons  ^irajijilintr  willi  a  liimu- 
(.ial  >\>t(in.  ""In  addition  lo  llu'  ordinary  incdiuni  ui' 
cwrliangi'/'  says  Caldui'll  in  his  cijir-litulional  hislorV, 
■■di\c!'s  coninioditit's  wvvo  inndr  K'gal  lender.  'J'ow  line/i, 
for  in^lanee.  was  le^al  tender  al  the  rale  of  oiK'  (shilling 
iiini'  pence  a  yard,  and  linsev  al  three  shillings;  cleail 
heave!'  skins,  six  shilhngs  each;  raccoon  and  fox  skins, 
one  shilling  and  three  {leiuc;  hacon  and  ta!h»\v.  six 
jHMice  a  pound:  rye  wliiskey,  iwo  shidings  and  six  ])ence 
a  gallon:  ]>each  and  apple  hi'andy.  three  shillings  a  gal- 
hni:  maple  sugar,  one  shilling  a  ])onnd.  Thus  the  gov- 
cM'iior  niighl  have  been  compelled  to  take  the  amount 
of  !iis  sidai-y  in   hees-wax  and    rye   whiskeyl" 

Tlie  territorial  organization,  having  hecn  entirely 
artificial,  will  not  ])e  noticed  lure. 

On  July  11.  1 ;!).").  the  Territorial  As.seini)ly  pai^sed  an 
act  for  ihe  enumeration  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  ter- 
ritory of  Tennessee  with  the  view  of  creating  a  new- 
State.  The  entimeration  indicated  the  po)iulation  as 
being  7T,2()'?,  of  whom  10. (ii:]  were  slaves,  and  i'To  were 
distinguished  as  "other  free  persons."  More  than  a 
thii-d  of  all  the  x'oiei's  of  the  territory  opposed  a  State 
govei'iiment. 

The  constitutional  convention  was  called  and  assem- 
bled at  Knoxville  on  July  11.  1 ;!»().  There  were  then 
eleven   counlie-s — lUount.   Davidson.   Oreene.   Hawkins, 


176  The  Backward  Trail. 

Jeilcrson,  Knox,  Sullivan,  Sevier,  Siunncr,  Tennessee 
and  Washington.  The  members  ol'  the  eonvention  num- 
bered fifty-five.  It  was  opened  with  prayer,  and  l)y  a 
sermon  by  Rev.  Samuel  C'arriek.  William  Blount,  ter- 
ritorial governor,  was  president.  The  eommittce  ajj- 
pointed  to  draft  the  constitution  was  composi'd  of  An- 
drew Jackson,  John  ]\IcXairy.  Samuol  Frazier,  William 
Eankin,  William  Cocke,  Tiiomas  Henderson,  Joseph 
Anderson,  James  Roddey,  AA'illiam  JJlount,  (/harles  ]\Ie- 
Chmg,  W.  C.  C  Claiborne,  John  LMica,  David  Shelbv. 
Daniel  Smith,  Samuel  A^'ear,  John  Clack,  Thomas  Johns- 
ton, William  Fort,  John  Tij)ton  and  James  Stewart. 

Like  the  Franklin  people,  Tennessee  virtually  adopted 
the  Xorth  Carolina  constitution- — a  constitution  at  once 
democratic  and  conservative  m  method. 

The  first  place  was  given  to  the  Legislature,  and  too 
niucli  ])ower  was  vested  in  that  de})art]ricnt.  One 
senator  and  two  re])resentatives  were  provided  from  each 
county  in  the  first  Assemljly,  but  after  the  census  which 
^vas  to  Ije  taken  within  three  years  of  the  first  meeting 
of  Assemljly,  senators  and  representatives  were  to  be 
a])})ortioned  according  to  the  number  of  taxable  inhab- 
itants, not  according  to  population.  Was  not  hei'e  a 
projjerty  qualification?  And  r.o  one  could  Ix'  a  member 
^y]\()  had  not  for  one  year  ])()ssesscd  and  continued  to 
possess  two  huudi'cd  acres  of  land.  Hie  liody  was  to 
fix  all  salaries,  though  until    1  SO  1   these  were  ])aid: 

To  the  govcriior,  ^T-V). 

To  the  judges,  not  more  ihan  i^^lOO. 


A  Sti'dv  IX  Salaries. 


To  the  >e(i'L'l;n'V,  no!  over  -i^lOO. 

Tti  the  l]-i';i>iiicr  ov  irrasiiicr.-,  nol  more  than  lour 
]K'i'  I  cin   lor  rc'(('i\  111^-  and  ]ia\ini;  onl  all  iiind^. 

To  the  attonifv  or  atlonu'vs,  nol  ovit  $o(j  U)i  each 
courl  al  hii(k'(l. 

Land,  cxcciilin^'  town  lots,  was  lo  hr  ta\('(l  uniformly, 
and  lots  Wi'Vv  nol  to  lie  asse's^od  hiulicr  than  tut*  liumli'c(l 
aero  of  land. 

Tlu'iH'  was  a  |ioll-la.\  on  daws,  not  to  ho  nioi'o  than 
the  tax  (111  two  hundrci!  acres  of  land. 

'Idle  L;'overnor  was  oU'c-tt'd  hy  the  pcopk'  for  a  Icriu 
of  two  years,  was  to  ho  i\\ cut v-l'ivc  xoai's  of  a^ic  an<l 
lo  own  live  hundred  aeres  of  land.  His  suceessor  in  case 
of  death,  resignalion.  etc..  was  ihe  speaker  of  the 
senvAv. 

Lvery  rroe-holdoi'  over  I  he  ajio  of  twenty-one.  and 
every  male  citizen  over  that  aue  who  had  Ijceii  for  six 
months  a  resident  of  the  county  where  his  vole  was 
olfered.  was  an  elector  of  the  ^uovernor  and  memhers  oi' 
ihe  (ieneral  Assendily.  I'lveii  free  neu'roes  voted,  and 
eoniinned   to  do  so  until  llu'  conslituiio]i  of   is;!!. 

The  judicial  powfr  was  invested  in  such  superior  and 
inferior  courts  of  law  and  etiuity  as  the  Leirislalure 
mi<:iit  establish. 

The  jiulu'es  and  ailorneys  ,:^'eneral  were  elec-U'd  l)y  joint 
l)allot  of  the  two  liouses.  to  hold  otlice  during  good 
behavior. 

l-^ach  conrt  a]»])oint(Ml  its  own  clerk,  to  hold  his  office 
during  good  beliavioi'. 

12 


178  The  Backward  Trail. 

Magistrates  Avere  appointed  by  the  General  Assembly, 
ajid  commissioned  by  the  governor.  Tliey  were  also  to 
hold  during  good  behavior;  their  nnmbcr  not  to  exceed 
two  for  each  captain's  company  (of  militia),  except  that 
the  company  which  included  the  cotmty  seat  was  entitled 
to  three. 

Coroners,  trustees  and  constables  were  elected  by  the 
county  court  for  two  years;  rangers  and  registers  were 
appointed  by  that  tribunal  also,  to  serve  during  good 
behavior. 

There  were  no  civil  districts  until  1834. 

It  was  not  necessary  for  legislative  action  to  call  out 
the  militia. 

C'lergymen  were  denied  the  right  to  sit  in  the  As- 
sembly. 

Xo  one  who  denied  the  being  of  God  or  a  future 
state  of  rewards  and  punishments  was  allowed  to  hold 
any  office  in  the  civil  department  of  the  State,  but  he 
might  in  the  military. 

Persons  could  1)e  imprisoned  fur  debt,  unless  the 
debtors  should  surrender  tlieii'  estate  for  the  benefit  of 
creditors,  where  the  presumption  of  fraud  was  not 
strong. 

The  press  was  to  be  free,  and  the  ju'inciples  of  the 
English  and  American  l)ills  of  Rights  were  declared  to 
be  essential  parts  of  the  constitution. 

As  to  religious  liberty  it  was  declared:  "That  all  men 
liave  a  natural  and  indefeasible  right  to  worsliip  Al- 
mio-htv  God  accordinu'  to  the  dictates  of  their  own  con- 


Pkivsii)i:.ntiai.  ICkkctoks. 


179 


>i'ii'iici'>;  thai  no  man  can  ol  riglil  l»c  cuiiipclled  to 
attciul,  crL'ct,  or  .-upiM)!!  any  place  ol'  \vor.-lii]i,  or  to 
niaiiilain  any  niini.slry  aL;ain.-t  hi.-  consent;  that  no 
iiniiian  autlioi'ity  can  in  anv  ca-e  whatever  control  nr 
interfere  with  the  riu'lits  of  conscience;  and  tlial  no 
])rei'ei'enee  sliall  ever  he  iziveii  hy  law  to  any  reli^nons 
estahlishn\enl  or  mode  of  wdi'ship.  That  nu  reliiriou.s 
test,  shall  ever  be  I'efjuired  as  a  ([iialification  to  any 
ollice  or  puhlic'  Iriisl  under  this  State."' 

The  constitution  was  said  hy  'Idiomas  delTerson — one 
of  whose  ^ui'eat  hohhies  was  religious  lihcriy — to  !)(•  the 
li'ast  imperfect  and  most  republican  of  the  State  con- 
stitutions. Ilowt'vei'.  it  contained  grave  defects,  which 
have  since  been  remedied  to  some  extent.  'I'hese 
changes  iiiay  be  noted  by  a  compai'ison  of  it  with  the 
])reseiit   State  constitution. 

In  1T!M)  the  State  contained  three  districts — Wash- 
ington. Mei'o.  and  Jlannlton.  On  August  <S  of  that  year 
an  act  was  passed  naming  three  ])ei'sons  from  each 
county  to  choose  the  ]>rcsidential  electors.  The  com- 
juissioiuM's  so  chosen  from  the  counties  of  Washington 
disli'ict  were  to  meet  at  Joiu'sboro,  those  from  Mero  at 
XashvilU'.  and  those  from  Hamilton  at  Knoxville.  on  a 
day  designated,  and  ballot  for  electors  for  tlieir  respec- 
tive disti'icts.  In  ca.<e  of  a  tic.  tlu^  decision  was  to  be 
made  hy  drawing  h)ts.  This  uni(|ue  method  no  htnger 
prevails,  and  the  Tresi(h'ntial  electors  are  cho>en  by  the 
people  at  a  regular  election. 


CHRONOLOGICAL   TABLE. 


First  SoUlcincnl  in  Tennc»,co,  at  Watau^st 1768 

Wataii.L^a  A.s^()ciati(jii  Koniu'd 1772 

Indians,    Throu.^-h    l{riti>h    Ai^-'cnts,    Seek   to   l)c.-,tr<iy 

Kast  TcnnessLH'  ScttlcuK'nt^        ....  1770 

First  Settlement  in  Middle  Tennessee 177s 

Joncsboro,  the   l-'irst  Town   on  Tennessee   Soil,  Laid 

on" 177'J 

First  Literary   School,  Establi^,he<l  liy  Sanniel  Doak  17>i() 

John  Sevier  Takes  Part  in  I'attleof  Kin;,'-'s  Mountain  17^1) 

North  Carolina  Cedes  Iler  Western  Settlements 17.H4 

Cession  Act  Repealed 17s.s 

State  of  Franklin  Formed 17.S,5 

End  of  the  State  of  Franklin 17>S8 

Tennessee  Ceded  by  North  Carolina 17'X) 

Tennessee  Becomes  a  Territory 17'»0 

Indians  Bei,Mn  to  Mi^-rate 17'X) 

First  Federal  Census  of  the  Territory. 17'>0 

First  Tennessee  News])a])er,  Founded  at  Koi^'-ersville.  17"1 

Knoxville  Laid  Off 17'i2 

John  Sevier's  Last  Military  Service 17'<3 

Nickojack  Expedition,  from  Nashville 17'»4 

Tennessee  Admitted  to  the  T7nion 17'><) 

John  Sevier  Elected  Governor  for  the  Fir.>t  Term      .  .  17% 

First  General  Assembly  Meets  at  Knoxville 17% 

Andrew  Jackson  Elected  to  Cont^ress 17% 

William  Blount   and  William   Cocke   Elected  United 

States  Senators 17% 

Senator  Blount  expelled  from  the  I'nited  States  Sen- 
ate    17' '7 

(iSi) 


AUTHORITIES  CITED. 


Civil.  AND  Political  Histohv  of  thk  Stati:  ok  Tknnessek,  from 

Its  First  St'ttlenicnt  up  to  tin-  Year  ITiKi.     Ky  .Toliii  Haywood.     IMISJ. 
Eaui.v  Ti.mks  in  Middi.k  Tknxksskk.    By  .Tolm  Carr.    18.". 
HisToHY  OF  Middi.k  Tkxne.ssek:  cut,  Lifi:  and  Ti.mf,8  of  (4f.n.  .Ta.mes 

lionKlJTSON.     By  A.  \V.  Piituain.     Is.j'.l. 
Annai,.'^  of  Tennes.see  to  the  End  <jf  t.iie  Ki(;htkkntii  ('KNTrii\'. 

By  J.  ii.  M.  Ramsey.     I««i0. 
History  of  Tennessee;  the  Makini;  of  a  State.     By  Juuh's  Plulaii. 

18^S8. 

HlSTOHY    OF    THE    Cr.MHEHI.AND    Pl(  ESI!  VTEUI  AN    ClUlU  II.       By    B.     W. 

McDonnold.     ISvSS. 
CONSTITI'TIONAI,    STI'DIKS    IN    TENNESSEE    HiSTOHY.      By   .Tosliua  Cald- 

wcH.     IfviC). 

ANTIyl'ITIES  OF  TeNNE.SSEE  AND   TH  E  A  D.l  A( '  ENT   STATES.      By  GatfS  P, 

Tliruston.     18i»r. 
Dhoi'ped  Stitches  in   Tennessee  Histouy.     By  .Tolui  Allison.     1«(C 
Life  of  .T.  D.  Goodpastitre.    By  A.  V.  ami  W.  H.  Goodpasture.    Mte. 

(183) 


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